The Premier League boasts a massive international fan base. For fans, it isn’t just a competition but a way of life with passion, rivalries and unforgettable moments. The 2024-25 premiere league is underway and this season is particularly exciting because of dramatic comebacks and thrilling moments.
Amidst the excitement of the Premier League, a statement by the “Doctor Who” actor, Matt Lucas has grabbed a lot of attention and is taking rounds on the internet. Lucas openly criticized the footballers who refused to wear rainbow bands on their arm and called them “a part of the problem”.
Wearing rainbow bands or laces is a part of League’s Rainbow Laces campaign which promotes the inclusivity of LGBTQ+ movement in sports. This campaign is organized in partnership with the charity Stonewall and it encourages the football captains to wear rainbow armbands and other players to wear rainbow shoe laces.
However, the initiative taken by the campaign to promote inclusion in sports has sparked a lot of controversy especially with the rainbow armbands. Some players simply chose not to participate while others drew attention by opposing the campaign strongly. Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace captain, wrote religious verses on his armband highlighting his contradiction to the narrative of the campaign. Similarly, Sam Morsy, Ipswich Town captain, declined wearing rainbow armbands citing his religious beliefs. The club stated in his support,
“We proudly support the Premier League’s Rainbow Laces campaign and stand with the LGBTQ+ community in promoting equality and acceptance. At the same time, we respect the decision of our captain Sam Morsy, who has chosen not to wear the rainbow captain’s armband due to his religious beliefs.”
The Canadian actor, Lucas, who is openly gay, headed to social media to share his personal opinion on homophobic issues. While sharing about the abuse he faced during the football matches, he wrote a post on X, formerly known as twitter,
“I have been verbally abused twice on the way to football matches so far this season. On both occasions I was minding my own business, head down, walking to the ground. I was called ‘a fucking queer cunt’ by one man and another told me that ‘our club doesn’t want disgusting gay…”
He continued,
“If you’re a player and that offends you less than wearing a rainbow-coloured armband for a couple of matches, then maybe you’re part of the problem.”
People commented on his post with mixed reviews. A user commented, “I’m not denying it happened, but I’ve been going to Arsenal for 40 years and never heard anything remotely homophobic.” Another one wrote, “And do you really think rainbows will fix it?”
