Homophobic language in sports can have detrimental effects on the mental health of young athletes. Erik Denison, a research fellow at Monash University’s BehaviourWorks, experienced this firsthand when he was outed as gay in year 9 and left his school soccer team due to verbal and physical abuse. Denison’s research has shown that abusive language in sports is still prevalent and harmful to children. The International Olympic Committee has confirmed that such language increases the risk of poor mental health, including self-harm and suicide.
Despite education initiatives, such as the one Denison recently led with every rugby union team in Victoria, the use of homophobic language did not decrease among teenage athletes. The education was not effective because club leaders did not enforce policies that banned such language. Denison believes change needs to come from the top, with club leaders taking an active role in promoting a safe and inclusive environment.
Pride rounds have been shown to help reduce homophobic language at sporting clubs. However, getting those who do not personally experience discrimination involved in pride initiatives can be a challenge. To make sports safe and inclusive, councils can introduce “safe sports officers” to attend training and matches and drive positive change. Making sports safe is essential for leagues to survive and thrive, and councils have a legal and moral responsibility to protect children from harmful behavior in current facilities.
