This article draws on 3,500 responses from fans and professionals involved in association football (soccer) to an anonymous online survey posted from June 2010 to October 2010 regarding their views towards gay footballers. The overall findings are that, contrary to assumptions of homophobia, there is evidence of rapidly decreasing homophobia within the culture of football fandom. The results advance inclusive masculinity theory with 93 per cent of fans of all ages stating that there is no place for homophobia within football. Fans blame agents and clubs for the lack of openness and challenge football's governing organizations to oppose the culture of secrecy surrounding gay players and to provide a more inclusive environment to support players who want to come out.

Abstract

essoition footll nd the representtion of homosexulity y the print mediX se study of enton rys¡ en his item ws sumitted to voughorough niversity9s snstitutionl epository y theGn uthorF Citation: gvivexhD tFD PHIRF essoition footll nd the representtion of homosexulity y the print mediX se study of enton rys¡ enF tournl of romosexulityD TI @WAD ppF IPTW E IPVUF Additional Information:• his is n eepted wnusript of n rtile pulished y ylor 8 prnis in tournl of romosexulity onPVth wy PHIRD ville onlineX httpXGGdxFdoiForgGIHFIHVHGHHWIVQTWFPHIRFWPTUTShttpXGGwwwFtndfonlineFomGertile hysF Association football and the representation of homosexuality by the print media: A case study of Anton Hysén AbstractIn March 2011 Anton Hysén (a semi-professional footballer currently playing in the Swedish fourth division) became only the second association football (soccer) player of any professional disposition to publicly declare his homosexuality whilst still playing the game. This article provides a textual analysis of the print media's reaction to Hysén coming out and examines whether, in 2011, they portray more inclusive notions towards homosexuality than they did in 1990 when British footballer Justin Fashanu came out. The results advance inclusive masculinity theory as a number of print media sources (mostly British) interview Hysén in the weeks immediately after he came out and publish articles that challenge homophobia. Highlighting a change since 1990, a significant number of articles stress the need for the key stakeholders in football (players, fans, clubs, agents, the authorities and the media) to accept gay players.

This article draws on 2,500 responses from association football (soccer) fans to an anonymous online survey posted from November 2011 to February 2012 examining the extent of racism in British football. The overall findings are that half of all fans are still witnessing or experiencing some form of racism. Despite the creation of anti-racist initiatives, such as Kick It Out, and a reduction in overt chanting, there exists a 'colour-blind' ideology amongst the game's governing bodies and anti-racist organisations as the extent of the problem is largely being ignored. Fans call for a long-term focus on anti-racism based on engagement and education within a greater range of social settings and, short-term, the implementation of more severe punishments by the game's governing bodies to eliminate racist behaviour amongst fans, players and clubs. For current and ex-players that continue to receive racial abuse through social media sites like Twitter, fans urge them to report it and place these matters in the hands of the police.

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This article focuses on the response by 2,056 football referees across all 51 County Football Associations in England, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey to an online survey conducted from 30 September 2015 to 30 November 2015 regarding their experience of officiating since the implementation of a Respect programme in 2008 by the English Football Association. In assessing the impact of the programme, whilst 54 per cent of referees felt that it has been somewhat successful, there remains a need to implement stronger sanctions and show greater support when dealing with cases of misconduct. 60 per cent of referees still experience abuse every couple of games and 19 per cent have experienced some form of physical abuse. With 42 per cent of our sample officiating for less than five years, there is an urgent need for the impact and effectiveness of the programme to be re-evaluated.