Akermanis condemned for renwed call on gay footballers to stay in the closet / Call on Tasmanian football clubs to tackle prejudice and homophobia

This media release was issued by the TGLRG on 17.9.10

Tasmanian gay activists are angry that Jason Akermanis, newly recruited to play for the Tasmanian football club, Glenorchy, has repeated his advice to gay players to stay in the closet (The World Today, ABC Radio, 17.9.10).

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said Akermanis' comments promote a culture of secrecy and mistrust which is bad for players, teams and football generally.

"Jason Akermanis' belief that gay players should stay quiet about who they are is bad for those players because it means they are under extra pressure to hide an important part of their lives when they should be focussed on football", Mr Croome said.

"It is also bad for team cohesion and for football generally because it promotes a culture of secrecy, suspicion and mistrust."

"I urge Tasmania's gay players to ignore Akermanis and come out if they feel prepared to."

"I also strongly urge the Glenorchy Football Club and the Tasmanian Football League to follow the lead of the AFL by tackling prejudice and homophobia among players and in the community."

Mr Croome said Akermanis will find no more support for his position in Tasmania than he did nationally when he previously made similar comments.

"Jason Akermanis will quickly find that the majority of Tasmanians have a let-and-let-live attitude to homosexuality and have moved on from his kind of old-fashioned attitudes."

For more information contact Rodney Croome on 0409 010 668.
For television interviews please contact Martine Delaney on 0417 530 621.