Sports

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Baseball star Josh Hader to be Sent for ‘Sensitivity Training’ After ‘I Hate Gay People’ Tweet Row

A major league baseball player will be sent for “sensitivity training” after it emerged he sent a slew of homophobic and racist tweets as a teenager.

Josh Hader, the 24-year-old pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, faced a storm when his Twitter history emerged – while he was busy playing in Tuesday’s 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

In messages dating from 2011 to 2012, he wrote “I hate gay people” and “Gay people freak me out, this dude comes in with pony shirts and a pony mal bag #thefuck”.

Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers and the National League pitches in the eighth inning against the American League during the 89th MLB All-Star Game, at Nationals Park on July 17, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Patrick Smith/Getty)

Hader also repeatedly tweeted the N-word in racist messages and made allusions to the KKK. The messages were sent when he was 17 and 18.

The messages surfaced online partway through the July 17 All-Star Game, and the player attempted to apologiZe in a subsequent press conference.

Major League Baseball has since released a statement revealing that Hader will be required to undergo “sensitivity training”.

A MLB spokesperson said: “During last night’s game we became aware of Mr. Hader’s unacceptable social media comments in years past and have since been in communication with the Brewers regarding our shared concerns.

“After the game, Mr. Hader took the necessary step of expressing remorse for his highly offensive and hurtful language, which fails to represent the values of our game and our expectations for all those who are a part of it.

“The Office of the Commissioner will require sensitivity training for Mr. Hader and participation in MLB’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.”

The Milwaukee Brewers said: “We have been in contact with Josh and he is fully aware of the severity of the situation related to his social media comments, regardless of the timeline of his posts.

“His comments are inexcusable, and he is taking full responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In no way do these sentiments reflect the views of the Brewers organization or our community.

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LGBT Youth in Sports “Overwhelmingly” Remain Closeted

At least 80 percent of gay, lesbian, bisexual and queer teen athletes hide their sexuality from coaches, a report published last week by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) foundation and the University of Connecticut showed. The percentage of closeted student athletes increases to 82 percent among trans youth.

The study surveyed more than 12,000 teenagers in the US, aged between 13 and 17, who participated in HRC’s online 2017 LGBT+ Teen Survey. Researchers decided to focus specifically on the experience of LGBT+ youth in sports because of the positive social, psychological and physiological effects of engaging in physical activities that teen may miss out due to lack of acceptance.

Only 24 percent of the respondents say they play a school sport, compared to 68 percent of a national non-LGBT+ sample—that percentage of sports participation drops to 14 percent for non-binary youth and transgender boys and 12 percent for transgender girls.

“Sports are a transformative way for students to build social skills and community, but when too many LGBTQ student-athletes are blocked from being their true selves—we fail them. Coaches and administrators must do more to make every court, field, track and mat a welcoming place for all,” Ashland Johnson, HRC director of public education and research, said in a statement commenting on the study.

According to the survey, one of the main issues hindering LGBT+ teen athletes from fully expressing themselves is the locker room environment. “I don’t feel safe in the locker room” one respondent said, a feeling shared by 41 percent of transgender boys, 34 percent of transgender girls and 31 percent of the non-binary youth surveyed. “I was bullied for being transgender,” another anonymous respondent said.

Another issue hindering LGBT+ youth participation in sports is the widespread use of homophobic language, such as the use of the word “gay” in a derogatory manner. “The guys on sports team… call everything they don’t like ‘gay’,” one of the survey respondent was quoted as saying.

“When LGBTQ teens can be their true selves in athletics, it not only benefits that athlete, it benefits their team and community. This data is an important starting point to identifying ways schools can improve the experiences of their LGBTQ players,” Johnson said.

Jason Collins, a former NBA player who came out as a gay man in an article for Sports Illustrated in 2013, shared the research with his more than 100,000 Twitter followers. “Sports are for everyone, including #LGBTQ youth,” Collins, whose coming out represented a landmark moment in LGBT+ acceptance in sports as he was the first active male athlete in a major US professional team sport to do so, wrote in his tweet. “This data provides a unique opportunity to make sports more inclusive for all athlete,” he added.

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Stay in the Closet at World Cup, Gay Fans Warned

Football fans have been warned to stay in the closet at the World Cup and not openly “display” their sexuality.

The World Cup, which is taking place in Russia later this month, has been marred by threats of violence towards LGBT fans from the country’s homophobic ultra-nationalist factions.

The Russian government had assured FIFA that everyone would be safe at the contest – but concerns for safety has led to eleventh-hour appeals for gay fans to hide their sexuality to avoid becoming a target.

Guidance from the UK Government was recently amended to make a warning to fans.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Be on the Ball guide has been quietly updated on May 21, just weeks before the contest, to warn fans that “public attitudes towards LGBT+ people are less tolerant than in the UK.”

The FCO directs fans to a section of the England Fans’ Guide to Russia 2018, published by the Football Supporters’ Federation, which makes further warnings clear.

It states: “With any trip abroad it is essential to understand your destination’s cultural and ideological beliefs.

“Whilst often you are able to behave as you would in the UK, certain things must be treated with caution in societies less tolerant than back home.

“There is no reason not to come to the World Cup if you are LGBT+. However, although same-sex sexual activity has been decriminalised in Russia since 1993, it is strongly understood and advised that you do not publicly display your sexuality, but this is up to the individual.”

The guide warns that the country’s gay propaganda law “effectively prohibiting any public display of LGBT+ rights” is “generally supported by the population due to the conservative and Christian Orthodox beliefs held by many.”

It urges fans not to fly rainbow flags at matches, saying: “This would contradict the aforementioned ‘propaganda law’ and Russian LGBT+ groups have questioned how safe LGBT+ fans will be who raise the Rainbow flag during matches.”

Meanwhile transgender fans are warned that the “safest option” for using the bathroom would be to go into a disabled toilet, rather than risk violence by using a male or female toilet.

The guide also warns LGBT fans that of “Chechnya, Ingushetia, Dagestan, and other Muslim regions within the North Caucasus should be avoided” entirely because of homophobic purges reported in the last year.

It adds: “It’s important to note that whilst no World Cup matches will be played in any regions of the North Caucasus, it is important to understand nonetheless that Russia is a big country and attitudes will vary from city to city.”

The decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively has been criticised by LGBT activists, who fear they will be prohibited from expressing themselves in both countries.

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, while hate crimes against LGBT people have doubled in Russia since it created a law banning gay “propaganda”.

The 2013 legislation, which prohibits “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relationships” towards minors, has been condemned by the European Court of Human Rights.

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Boston Marathon Announces Trans Women Can Compete

Boston Marathon has announced that trans people will be able to compete in its next run.

The organisers of the event have come forward to say that they will “take people at their word” and allow competitors to define their gender however they see fit.

“We take people at their word. We register people as they specify themselves to be,” said Tom Grilk, chief of the Boston Athletic Association, the group behind the race to ABC News.

“Members of the LGBT community have had a lot to deal with over the years, and we’d rather not add to that burden.”

At least five openly transgender women are signed up to compete in the 26.2 mile feat through the Massachusetts city.

And is it not just Boston that is taking a more inclusive approach when it comes to running.

Organizers of the Chicago, New York City, London and Los Angeles marathons have also said that they will allow competitors to compete regardless of gender identity.

Although for trans competitors who haven’t legally changed their gender, there still might be a final hurdle when it comes to competing.

Runners are required to submit ID at the registration desk prior to competing in a marathon, which could throw up problems for those who have not legally changed their gender.

“To be able to experience it as me was really, really important,” said Stevie Romer, a trans Boston Marathon competitor to ABC News.

“I’ve been a runner since as long as I can remember. I love running, but I just happen to be transgender.”

There are a lot of misconceptions about trans people competing in sport – the most recent case of this saw the Australian Weightlifting Federation attempt to block trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard from competing – which can stigmatise trans competitors.

In reality, the likes of testosterone blockers can put trans competitors at a disadvantage in the sport, especially with side effects such as dehydration and dizziness affecting those on testosterone blockers.

Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon.

The event attracts around 500,000 spectators each year, with elite competitors who have reached a certain qualifying time selected to compete.

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NFL Prospect: I Was Grilled About My Sexuality

 

Former LSU running back Derrius Guice said in an interview Wednesday that one NFL team asked about his sexuality and another inquired if his mother was a prostitute at the NFL Scouting Combine that concluded earlier this week.

‘’It was pretty crazy,” Guice said in an interview on the SiriusXM NFL show Late Hits. “Some people are really trying to get in your head and test your reaction. I go in one room, and a team will ask me do I like men, just to see my reaction. I go in another room, they’ll try to bring up one of my family members or something and tell me, ‘Hey, I heard your mom sells herself. How do you feel about that?’”

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in an email to USA TODAY Sports Thursday that the league is “looking into the matter.” “A question such as that is completely inappropriate and wholly contrary to league workplace policies,” McCarthy said. “The NFL and its clubs are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees in a manner that is consistent with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, state and federal laws and the CBA.

The Human Rights Campaign reacts:

“The fact that Derrius Guice was asked by an NFL team — and a prospective employer — about his sexual orientation is absurd and inappropriate,” said HRC Director of Public Education and Research, Ashland Johnson. “With similar incidents already reported, it’s clear that the NFL did not do enough to prevent it from happening again. Guice’s experience illustrates the risks faced by millions of LGBTQ people today in employment, athletics, housing and other areas of their lives. It’s why we need swift action to condemn these kinds of practices and to fight for passage of the Equality Act to ensure comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The NFL should take serious actions that address these unacceptable incidents and the perpetuation of an unwelcoming anti-LGBTQ environment, including publicly supporting the Equality Act.”

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Gus Kenworthy Calls Out Unchecked Homophobia On YouTube After Olympics

Ker Robertson via Getty Images
Gus Kenworthy is seen at a press conference during the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Feb. 11, 2018.

American freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy might not have medaled at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, this year, but he has had quite the impact in another respect.

The openly gay athlete made Olympic magic at the games ― kissing his boyfriend after a run on the slopes, calling out Vice President Mike Pence and first daughter Ivanka Trump and striking up a friendship with figure skater Adam Rippon, who is also gay.

However, homophobes have targeted Kenworthy, spewing hatred in the comments section of his Feb. 21 YouTube video “Feeling Like a Champion!”

On Tuesday, Kenworthy tweeted screenshots of some particularly vile comments.

His post elicited a strong response from followers, as it illustrated that even one of the biggest celebrities from this year’s Olympics still has to deal with anti-gay attacks.

Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton expressed her sympathy on social media, telling the skier that the comments “reflect on the people making them, not you.”

Later in the day, Kenworthy received a response from YouTube’s official Twitter page, which said the company was “actively working” to remedy the situation.

“This is unacceptable, we’re so sorry these comments and notifications came through to you,” the tweet reads. “We’re actively working to fix this so you won’t see or be notified of abusive comments and exploring more ways to protect people from abusive comments overall.”

Kenworthy responded on Wednesday with some suggestions for the company’s screening policy, explaining that these slurs and hateful messages could have done serious damage to a younger, less confident version of himself.

Kenworthy, who won a silver medal during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, didn’t come out until the following year. Since then, he’s been a proud advocate for the LGBTQ community.

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Canadian Figure Skater Eric Radford Becomes First Ever Openly Gay Winter Olympics Gold Medalist

(Twitter/rad85e)

(Twitter/rad85e)

Eric Radford has become the first ever openly gay man to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics.

The Canadian athlete won gold in the team figure skating event after he and his partner Meagan Duhamel skated magnificently to Adele’s Hometown Glory.

(Twitter/rad85e)

He followed in the footsteps of Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, who got a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

In the same event as Radford, gay skater Adam Rippon made history for Team USA by taking a bronze medal after performing to Coldplay’s O and Arrival of the Birds by Cinematic Orchestra.

But it was Radford who earned first place, taking the gold alongside teammates Gabrielle Daleman, Patrick Chan, Kaetlyn Osmond, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

The 33-year-old, who also used Hometown Glory to win gold at the 2016 World Championships, posted on Twitter about breaking this huge barrier at the Pyeongchang Games.

He wrote: “This is amazing!

(Twitter/rad85e)

“I literally feel like I might explode with pride. #Olympics #outandproud #🏳️‍🌈”.

Radford came out in the same year that he won a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

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At the time, he said: “I used to joke around that I’m the ultimate pair-boy.

“I never had to worry about developing an off-ice relationship.”

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PYEONGCHANG-GUN, SOUTH KOREA - FEBRUARY 12: Gold medalists (L-R) Scott Moir, Tessa Virtue, Meagan Duhamel, Eric Radford, Kaetlyn Osmond, Gabrielle Daleman, and Patrick Chan of Team Canada celebrate during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event at Medal Plaza on February 12, 2018 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)
(Getty)

Radford will compete again in the pairs tournament, while Rippon will perform another men’s single.

Speaking after his performance, Rippon said: “I want to throw up. I want to go over to the judges and say, ‘Can I just have a Xanax and a quick drink? I’ll be fine.’ But I kept it together.”

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Fox News Vice President Complains That Motto Of US Olympic Team Should Be “Darker, Gayer, Different”

Fox News executive vice president John Moody writes:

Unless it’s changed overnight, the motto of the Olympics, since 1894, has been “Faster, Higher, Stronger.” It appears the U.S. Olympic Committee would like to change that to “Darker, Gayer, Different.” If your goal is to win medals, that won’t work.

A USOC official was quoted this week expressing pride (what else?) about taking the most diverse U.S. squad ever to the Winter Olympics. That was followed by a, frankly, embarrassing laundry list of how many African-Americans, Asians and openly gay athletes are on this year’s U.S. team. No sport that we are aware of awards points – or medals – for skin color or sexual orientation.

For the current USOC, a dream team should look more like the general population. So, while uncomfortable, the question probably needs to be asked: were our Olympians selected because they’re the best at what they do, or because they’re the best publicity for our current obsession with having one each from Column A, B and C?

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Adam Rippon Is U.S.’s First Openly Gay Man To Qualify For Winter Olympics

Adam Rippon, the first openly gay man to qualify for the U.S. Winter Olympics team, competes during the 2018 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif.

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Adam Rippon, a 28-year-old figure skater, will be the first openly gay man to compete for the United States in the Winter Olympics.

Despite a disappointing fourth-place performance at the U.S. figure skating championships Saturday night, Rippon was selected to join Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou in Pyeongchang next month.

“I’m really grateful that the selection committee looked at my body of work over the last two seasons,” Rippon told reporters on Sunday.

The committee’s decision wasn’t without controversy. Rippon’s selection edged out Ross Miner, who placed second in the national championship. U.S. Figure Skating President Sam Auxier said the athletes’ track records in international competitions were a deciding factor.

But for Rippon, who was the U.S. national champion in 2016, the road to Pyeongchang has been a long one. This year will be the 28-year-old’s Olympic debut — more than 80 years since an American man his age competed as a rookie, according to The Washington Post.

“I don’t really care what other people think of me. I’m able to go out there and I’m really able to be unabashedly myself,” he said. “I want somebody who’s young, who’s struggling, who’s not sure if it’s OK if they are themselves to know that it’s OK.”

And depending on how the roster for the U.S. ski team shapes up, Rippon may end up sharing his historic moment.

U.S. freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy came out publicly in 2015, a year after he took silver in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Kenworthy will find out later this month whether he heads to Pyeongchang.

A third gay athlete, luger John Fennell, had also been vying for a spot on Team USA, but a sled malfunction slashed his chance at qualifying in December.

Figure skater Johnny Weir faced speculation about his sexuality while competing in 2006 and 2010, but he avoided questions on the matter. In 2011, he publicly confirmed that he was gay in his memoir, Welcome to My World.

Despite the gain in LGBTQ representation this winter, the Olympics contend with a dearth of openly queer athletes. The U.S. hasn’t sent an openly gay man to the Summer Olympics in 14 years — since equestrians Robert Dover and Guenter Seidel competed in 2004.

But come February, a global audience will get the chance to know Rippon, who’s built a reputation as an unapologetic, highly entertaining skater.

“A few weeks ago, I was asked in an interview … what was it like being a gay athlete in sports. And I said it’s exactly like being a straight athlete. Only with better eyebrows,” Rippon said.

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World Cup in Russia Could be Dangerous for Homosexual Fans, FIFA Advisers Warn

FIFA’s anti-discrimination advisers are warning gay soccer fans going to the 2018 World Cup in Russia that displays of affection could be met with an aggressive response from intolerant locals.

Homosexuality was decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but anti-gay sentiment remains strong and intensified after a law was introduced in 2013 prohibiting dissemination to minors of “propaganda” legitimizing homosexuality.

As fans prepare their trips after Friday’s World Cup draw, the FARE network said it will produce a guide spelling out the threats to be prepared for in Russia.

“The guide will advise gay people to be cautious in any place which is not seen to be welcoming to the LGBT community,” FARE executive director Piara Powar said. “If you have gay fans walking down the street holding hands, will they face danger in doing so? That depends on which city they are in and the time of day.

“The guide will also include some detailed explanations of for example the actual situation of the LGBT community in Russia. It is not a crime to be gay but there is a law against the promotion of homosexuality to minors. Issues relating to the LGBT community are not part of the public discourse. Gay people have a place in Russia which is quite hidden and underground.”

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FARE, which monitors FIFA fixtures for discriminatory behavior, said it is unclear whether fans will be allowed to display rainbow flags inside stadiums.

“British and German fans’ groups have asked FIFA if they are OK to raise a rainbow flag inside the stadium,” Powar said. “FIFA has not really responded so far to say if this is something the security services will allow.”

FIFA diversity head Federico Addiechi said he has seen no written request from fan groups on whether gay pride flags can be unfurled.

“There’s nothing in the regulation from FIFA that prevents anyone from entering the stadiums with non-political messages,” Addiechi said.

FARE has also has long-standing concerns about the reception black and ethnic minority fans will face around games in Russia.

“Do go to the World Cup, but be cautious,” Powar said. “There are two elements to it — one towards people of color and other element is far-right nationalism. Far-right extremist groups have had around 300 people banned from attending the World Cup.

“After years of denial about racism Russian FA finally taking action, group under Alexei Smertin has been addressing the issue and fines have been issued.”

Research for the 2016-17 by FARE and Russia-based SOVA showed there were 89 racist and far-right incidents at Russian games, slightly below the two previous seasons.

Russian champion Spartak Moscow was punished by UEFA for monkey chants in a recent Youth League game against Liverpool. Spartak was also fined for discriminatory chants against fans from Russia’s North Caucasus in a domestic cup game last month.

Anti-discrimination observers will be deployed at the June 14-July 15 World Cup where matches can be stopped or abandoned if racism persists after warnings inside stadiums.

“The World Cup must be inclusive, respect human rights, must respect the rights of everyone including minorities,” Addiechi said. “We have the assurance from the Russian organizing committee and the Russian authorities that everyone will feel safe, comfortable and welcome in the country.”

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