By Mark Baber
March 18 – The revelation that the head of the Nigeria Women Professional League (NPWL) has been actively discriminating against suspected lesbian footballers has unleashed a storm of protest including a petition to FIFA which has so far gathered nearly 50,000 signatures.
In a tape recording, released on YouTube (http://youtu.be/OgqVCg_bEMc) Dilichukwu Onyedinma, head of the NPWL, said: “We don’t tolerate lesbianism and we always discuss it whenever we meet. We always warn clubs and club chairmen, to please tell their players to desist from it, because any player that we pick for national competitions, and we hear a little story that is involved in that, we disqualify the player.”
Equality campaigners AllOut.org have launched a campaign called ‘FIFA: Give the red card to homophobia’ [https://www.allout.org/en/actions/fifa-taf].
On their campaign page they write: “FIFA’s taken steps already, largely because of the pressure of All Out members and other equality-supporters worldwide. A few days ago they wrote a private letter to Nigerian officials – but it’s not enough.”
“If we get a huge surge of new signatures on the petition, we can show FIFA there is overwhelming demand for them to publicly condemn Nigeria’s unofficial ban on lesbian players.”
The petition, supported by Gay Games, Football v Homophobia, EGLSF and IGLFA has garnered close to 50,000 signatures towards a 60,000 target.
The Nigerian FA has failed to respond to questions about Dilichukwu Onyedinma’s recorded comments and whether the discriminatory practices she describes are in place.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734798876labto1734798876ofdlr1734798876owedi1734798876sni@r1734798876ebab.1734798876kram1734798876