18.02.2016

Atlético de Madrid and Rayo Vallecano join anti-homophobia campaign

LaLiga teams Atlético de Madrid and Rayo Vallecano are backing the anti-homophobia campaign #LaLigaarcoiris, which for the second consecutive year is raising awareness of and contributing to eradicate homophobia in Spanish football.

Rayo Vallecano was the first professional team to announce their support. The team will wear rainbow laces at the weekend's match against Seville. In similar move, Atlético de Madrid players Saúl, José María Giménez and Raúl Jiménez and second division club Real Racing Club have also committed to wear the laces.

In a statement Real Racing said: "Players of the club's first team will wear rainbow laces at Saturday's match against Club Deportivo Leganés to show the team's commitment to freedom, dignity and equality towards the LGBT community".

The #LaLigaarcoiris campaign is an initiative of the Spanish LGBT network FELGTB that follows the examples of the rainbow laces campaigns in the English Premier League and French Ligue 1 and 2. Its main goal is to LGBT discrimination in football during the Football v Homophobia month of action and further debates around the topic.

The campaign is divided into two main action days, the first, on 19 February, in which the LGBT network celebrates the International Day Against Homophobia in Football, and the second, on 21 and 22 February, in which professional and amateur teams highlight the issue at matches.

Rubén López FELGTB sports director said: "Players can show their support for diversity by using something as simple as rainbow laces. Slowly we will start to see a change and equality will win this battle".

Hoy es el día contra la LGTBfobia en el deporte. Escribe a tu club preferido para que se una a #LaLigaArcoIris pic.twitter.com/uoSc9f3VZd

— Federación Es. LGTB (@FELGTB) February 18, 2016

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