Swedish soccer team Sörskogens IF has suspended their entire team for anti-gay slurs and language directed at their opponents, the Stockholm Snipers, earlier this year. From The Local, which has a full account of the incident:
During the match, players from Sörskogens were heard saying “you suck cock for 50 kronor”, “all of you have HIV”, and “we’re probably going to get infected”, among several other homophobic remarks, the local Mitt i Huddinge newspaper reported.
During the match, players from Sörskogens were heard saying “you suck cock for 50 kronor”, “all of you have HIV”, and “we’re probably going to get infected”, among several other homophobic remarks, the local Mitt i Huddinge newspaper reported.
“It was a little unpleasant when we went into the dressing room after the game. One of our players was also threatened after things got a little heated on the pitch,” Snipers coach Christoffer Smitz told SR.
Following the incident, Sörskogens IF was fined 5,000 kronor ($755) by the Stockholm Football Association, which also demanded that top club officials attend a training course.
The club said on its Web site that they have received an outpouring of support for canceling the rest of the season.
While some leagues in the United States slap athletes on the wrist or take no action at all, it’s nice to see some folks in sports really do have no tolerance for homophobia, particularly that which is designed to intimidate others. It offers a stark contrast to the NBA and NFL: These U.S. sports leagues really do have tolerance for gay slurs.
