A new guide featuring key information on how to deal with homophobia in football has been launched, today, in Austria, as the result of a partnership between the Fare member FairPlay and the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) and Bundesliga.[/intro_paragraph]

The brochure 'Football for Diversity', available in German, aims to provide information and contacts related to the subject of homophobic discrimination, while giving definitions that may assist the education process to advance the social inclusivity of football.

The guide is the first publication the ÖFB has produced on the topic, which will now join the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) in taking a strong stand against discrimination towards LGBT people across football and making the sport welcoming for all.

"The Austrian Football Association is the largest specialist sports association in the country and all its members are role models with the capacity to support processes of social change," said ÖFB president Leo Windtner.

"It is important to promote a climate of respect, compassion, tolerance and integration in all areas of our society."

The initiative is being backed by Austria's national team players including Christian Fuchs (FC Schalke 04) and Markus Suttner (FK Austria Wien), the women's national team captain Viktoria Schnaderbeck (FC Bayern München), Austrian referee Harald Lechner and Damir Canadi, coach of top-flight club SCR Altach.

The guide can be dowloaded here.