Charlton Athletic Football Club are set to host their second annual Charlton v Homophobia football tournament at The Valley to help raise the profile of LGBTQI+ football.
The event will take place on Sunday 7th May 2017 and will involve a team from Proud Valiants, Bexley Invicta FC, University of Greenwich and a mystery fourth team. The teams will play each other once in a round robin format with the team with most points walking away with the prized trophy.
The tournament will once again be supported by the Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT), the University of Greenwich, Kick it Out, Fans for Diversity and Football v Homophobia.
Chairperson of the Proud Valiants Rob Harris said: “We are so pleased to be working for a second year with Charlton on this amazing event. Charlton was a huge force in the Kick It Out Campaign on Racism and they are now a leader in fighting against intolerance against fans who identify as part of the LGBTQI+ community.
“There’s obviously a huge difference between race and sexuality in terms of visibility, however abusive behaviour still affects everyone. This challenge of ensuring zero tolerance of homophobia is the responsibility of everybody in football, from the boardrooms to governing bodies, from the dressing rooms to the fans and stewards. “It is provided in educating people about what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour and language. This tournament is not just about making a stance against homophobia but a celebration of diversity and shows that Charlton insist football should unite everybody.”
Tickets for the event are free and should be booked in advance at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/proud-valiants-charlton-athletic-fc-13349815112