June 18 – Russia’s 5-0 opening win over Saudi Arabia has resulted in an immediate £50,000 win for the LGBT community as a Paddy Power marketing gimmick looks set to cost the bookmaker a lot more than they expected.
As part of its campaign for the 2018 Russian World Cup, Paddy Power has said it will donate £10,000 to causes dedicated to making football more LGBT+ inclusive for every Russian goal scored. With Russia’s poor form coming into the World Cup, the chances of them scoring a lot of goals looked pretty slim, and anyone betting on a 5-0 will at paddy Power would have had a pay day.
Paddy Power had guaranteed a £50,000 payout over the World Cup but would hardly have expected to meet that guarantee with the tournament’s lowest ranked team in match day 1.
Russia and Saudi Arabia have low and zero tolerance of LGBT – it is ironic that their football teams are contributing so positively to helping change attitudes.
Working with Attitude magazine‘s Foundation, Paddy Power has said that its funding will help numerous elements of the LGBT community by challenging LGBT+ prejudice on and off the field, supporting footballers and those in the game in coming out as well as funding educational programmes in schools and colleges.
“Given they invented Russian Dolls, you’d be forgiven for thinking Russia wouldn’t have an issue with women being into other women,” said a Paddy Power spokesman
“Likewise, their appreciation for bears is one shared around the world by the LGBT+ population, so it really is astonishing that they have not used their stewardship of this tournament to champion LGBT+ inclusivity.
“As a result, we’ve stepped in to help. When Russia Put-in a goal, we’ll Put-in £10,000 to Attitude magazine’s Foundation.”
“The World Cup is meant to be about inclusivity, but thanks to the hosts – and those who chose the hosts – this tournament (and the next, in Qatar) is taking place in a nation with laws that discriminate against the LGBT+ population,” said Darren Styles, publisher of Attitude.
“This is completely unacceptable and, therefore, we welcome the opportunity to benefit from Russia’s success and make unwitting allies of their national team. It will be hugely satisfying to see a goal from Russia send a message of equal love.”
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