After their side declared they would be wearing a new rainbow pride shirt, setting off a raging debate, seven Australian rugby league players vowed to skip a crucial game.
The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, a team located north of Sydney, debuted the uniform yesterday morning, claiming it supported “inclusivity and diversity” with its rainbow piping on the neck, sleeves, and sponsor logo.
But only a few hours later, after failing to consult the players beforehand, club executives were compelled to convene a crisis conference with players who said they would refuse to wear the top on “religious and cultural grounds.”
What was once meant to be a symbol of unity has now been transformed into one of division as a legendary openly gay club player, league executives, radio hosts, and even the Prime Minister have been involved in a divisive debate that has overshadowed the sport.
Owner Scott Penn firmly ruled out dropping the strip, thus Manly will have to call in reserve players for the game on Thursday night that might be important for their prospects of winning the league.
It was never simply about pride, according to Mr. Penn, a multimillionaire with a Harvard education who lives in Brooklyn, New York, the woke capital, half the year.
We wanted to include everyone in the game and give them the impression that they could participate.
We won’t compel people to participate, but we’re committed to the uniform and inclusivity. We’re not going to change our stance.
The dispute started early on Monday when Manly, in collaboration with the company Dynasty Sport, revealed the “Everyone in League” jersey.
A special uniform created exclusively for Thursday’s game, it complemented National Rugby League branding that promoted Thursday’s games as the “Women in League” round to recognise the contribution women make to sport.
The strip, according to team executives, is the “first of its type” and illustrates how sport can unite people from various backgrounds.
Sean Keppie, Kieran Foran, and Reuben Garrick, three players, served as its models for advertising materials.
But as soon as seven other players—Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula, and Toafofoa Sipley—refused to wear it, the situation quickly deteriorated.
Due to league regulations prohibiting players from the same team from donning separate uniforms, managers were forced to either drop the players or the top.
The conflict was to be resolved at a crisis meeting on Tuesday, but when the news spread across the nation, talks were moved up to Monday night.
In order to attend the meeting when he promised the players he would not back down, Mr. Penn is believed to have called in from New York.
After the talks, it was left to coach Des Hasler and captain Daly Cherry-Evans to answer questions from the media and explain why a player boycott would take place.
The exact figures are yet unknown, but three of the athletes are reportedly pondering their options while the other four seem unconvinced.
During the press conference, Mr. Hasler found himself in an awkward situation because he insisted that he supports both the new jersey and the players’ right to protest.
He acknowledged the club had made “errors” in how the shirt was announced and blamed “mismanagement” for weakening team cohesion while alternately quoting Gandhi and sharing a personal story about an autistic buddy.
“What was intended to be an enormously important endeavour was poorly executed,” he claimed.
“There was very little teamwork or consultation between the club’s core stakeholders.
“Our goal was to show compassion and care for all varied groups that struggle with inclusion on a regular basis.
However, we might have hampered acceptance and tolerance instead of fostering them.
One of the first rugby league players to come out as gay was Manly club great Ian Roberts, who said the news “breaks my heart” in 1995.
It’s awkward and depressing. As an older gay man, I’m used to this. Roberts told the Daily Telegraph, “I did wonder whether there would be any religious pushback.
“I can assure you that any young person dealing with their sexuality on the northern beaches would have heard about this,”
Mark “MG” Geyer, a former football player himself, backed Roberts and the team in a swift response from radio personalities.
Would I wear the uniform if I were competing? He declared on Tuesday during his breakfast show, “Bloody oath I would.”
“Ian Roberts was the best player to come out of Manly.” Since he was the only athlete who had the courage to publicly declare that he was gay, I would wear the shirt solely for him.
In favour of team managers, Prime Minister Antony Albanese said that “it’s a fantastic thing that sport is more inclusive” and that “Aussies should respect everyone for who they are.”
Veteran sports commentator Paul Gallen, however, criticised Manly for “overshadowing” Women in League Week with the shirt, saying the team should have “left it at that.”
Everybody, he continued, “accepts that there are various persons in life, and that people have different opinions.”
To be completely honest, “I don’t know why they wanted to promote this… I don’t think it’s the appropriate thing to do.”
NRL league president Peter V’landys also spoke, claiming that players had “every right” to boycott on account of their religion while threatening the squad with “repercussions.”
“We value each individual. No matter what your sexual orientation, marriage beliefs, race, or skin colour may be, we appreciate you as a human being,’ he said.
These athletes are aware of our stance on the matter.
I respect them and all the players if they don’t want to play because of their religious convictions.
Manly is presently ranked ninth in the NRL standings, tied for ninth with the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters in terms of points.
The top eight teams will advance to the playoffs, where the league champion will be determined.
With only six games left in the season, Manly will have the opportunity to distance themselves from their primary rivals when they play the Roosters on Thursday.
Australian rugby has frequently been at the centre of debates around diversity in sports.
For his anti-LGBT beliefs, Israel Folau, who played rugby league but was best recognised for representing Australia in rugby union, was dismissed from the national squad in 2019.
The full-back, who had previously received warnings for his social media remarks, had his contract revoked after declaring that gays would face “hell.”
The complete text of Folau’s post was, “Hell awaits you, drunks, homosexuals, adulterers, liars, fornicators, thieves, atheists, and idolators.”
At the time, Rugby Australia CEO Raelene Castle said: “It was made clear to him that any social media posts or criticism that is in any way insulting to people because of their sexuality will result in disciplinary action.”
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