The captains of soccer clubs in the Netherlands and Sweden will be wearing rainbow armbands in upcoming matches to demonstrate an embrace of the LGBT community.
In the Netherlands, captains in three leagues — Eredivisie, Jupiler League and Eredivisie Women — will adorn the inclusive bands as part of an initiative through the CSR Central Board and the John Blankenstein Foundation, according to Vereniging van Contractspelers.
In Sweden, Europe’s largest soccer club, IF BrommaPojkarna, which has hundreds of teams playing under its banner, will have rainbow armbands on players across all age and skill levels.
“We play nearly 6,000 football matches every year, around Stockholm, Sweden and Europe,” said club chairman Fredrik Bergholm in a statement. “That we carry the rainbow captain armband’s and what it stands for is important and good.”
Anton Hysen, the highest-level openly gay professional soccer player in the world, plays in Sweden.
These are great symbols of acceptance and inclusion being put forward by these clubs, and we hope this kind of thing spreads, much like Pride Tape and Rainbow Laces.
