Contradicting cultural beliefs: in Australia, rugby players refused to play in jerseys with rainbow stripes

At the beginning of the week, Australian sports were rocked by an unexpected scandal involving the Manly Sea Eagles team.

The fact is that the club's management has prepared a special set of game uniforms, on which the usual white stripes are replaced with rainbow ones - as a sign of support for the LGBT community.

According to their idea, players should wear the updated jerseys for the next National Rugby League (NRL) match against the Sydney Roosters, which will take place on July 28.

However, the managers did not take care to coordinate the controversial promotion with the players - they only learned about it from social networks.

A promotional video featuring the special uniform was posted on the team's official Twitter account on Monday.

“You, me, everyone in the league,” reads the caption under the video.

With this motto, seven Eagles rugby players apparently disagreed.

Josh Aloiai, Toafofoa Sipley, Tolutau Kula, Christian Tuipulotu, Haumole Olakauatu, Jason Saab and Josh Schuster refused to wear rainbow jerseys due to the fact that it is contrary to their cultural and religious beliefs.

And since the team's management was not ready to change their own decision as soon as possible, the players refused to take the field next weekend.

By the way, it is of fundamental importance for the team from the point of view of the tournament struggle, since the Roosters are one of the competitors in the fight for reaching the playoffs.

Now the rivals are in ninth and eighth places, respectively, and there are six rounds left until the end of the regular season. 

The boycott of the game caused such a strong response that the Manly management had to hastily convene a press conference.

Team captain Daly Cherry-Evans confirmed that none of his teammates were aware of the upcoming promotion, although it doesn't matter to him personally and he will "proudly wear the jersey to support inclusiveness and diversity."

Head coach Des Hasler, in turn, said that the team respects the decision of the players.

“These young people hold strong views and beliefs, and we will give them the space and support they need.

Our guys are [still] united and understand each other's views.

On Thursday evening, the team will play in this form, ”the specialist said.

He explained that the club made a mistake by not consulting with the athletes about the upcoming action, and apologized to everyone who was hurt or offended by this situation.

“The rainbow elements on our uniforms were meant to symbolize diversity and inclusion, supporting all those groups of people who face marginalization, discrimination and suppression of their voice.

The point was to support interests and civil rights related to gender, race, culture, opportunity and LGBTQ movements,” Hasler said.

According to the head of the Menzies Research Center, Nick Keiter, the result of the action was just the opposite: it divided both the players and the fans.

According to him, it is better for sports figures to “set an example of sportsmanship and inspire young people” rather than get involved in political games.

In turn, the head of the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC), Peter V'Landis, said he did not consider the problem a political one. 

“We have freedoms and we have principles.

Every rugby player is familiar with them.

We are not going to refuse them, but we respect the position of the players.

Whoever you are, these are our principles, and I hope they will change their minds, because this is the beauty of rugby league - this is the greatest game for one and all, ”the functionary emphasized.

Political figures in Australia reacted, on the contrary, rather harshly. 

“Someone tell these Eagles 7 that the rainbow is not contagious, while the shape with it and the support and respect it symbolizes for people unlike you will help them become better.

If next year the league decides to show solidarity with the LGBT community again next year, I hope the “mighty dragons” will dress in red, white and rainbow uniforms!”

said Energy Secretary and Member of Parliament Matt Keane.

Representatives of other countries did not remain aloof from the high-profile scandal.

So, the British rugby player Keegan Hirst, who came out in 2015, was outraged by the act of his colleagues and said that it was “just homophobia hiding behind religion.”

But in social networks, the players, on the contrary, were supported.

Fans consider it wrong when players are forced to wear "rainbow t-shirts" and show aggression towards them just because they expressed their position.

In addition, Eagles fans are reminded that diversity and inclusion includes the right of those who are not LGBT supporters to also speak out about their beliefs.