Jersey Pride in Sport week is taking place from 3-9 February 2020.

Racism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, sexism and other prejudicial language can all too often be heard on the pitch or in the changing room, and gets dismissed as ‘banter’. The words we use matter and make the difference between an inclusive space or one that feels exclusive and intimidating for people from minority groups.

This is why we are asking as many sports people as possible to show their support for ‘sport is for everyone’ by wearing rainbow laces to celebrate Jersey Pride in Sport week, ideally during your sporting activity, or before or after for sports that do not involve shoes or boots requiring laces. Whether you are a school, football or rugby team, cycling or walking group, aerobics or dance class, the free rainbow laces demonstrate your commitment to making sport an inclusive and discrimination-free space.

You can collect your rainbow laces from the offices of Jersey Sport at the FB Fields and EY’s office in Liberation House, Castle Street. Laces will also be handed out during Jersey Sport’s launch of the new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Sport and Physical Activity workshop on 5 February 2020.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab a pair of rainbow laces and let’s make this a Pride in Sport week to be proud of! Please share pictures of your team in their rainbow laces across social media using: #JerseyPrideInSport and tagging Instagram: @EYCICareers @JerseySportje Twitter: @EYnews @JerseySport @LiberateJersey Facebook: @EYChannelIslandsCareers @jerseysportofficial @LiberateJersey

Jersey Pride in Sport week is supported by EY: “At EY we believe everyone should be respected for the skills and talents they contribute and the impact they make – not by their race, gender or sexual identity. We are pleased to support this initiative to help make sport everyone’s game.”

Sport really should be for everyone, but there are some groups for whom significant barriers to participation in sport exist. In the UK, more than 55% of LGBTQ+ people are not active enough to maintain good health, 34% of people with a long-term impairment are inactive compared with 21% of those without a disability and 89% of sport participants are from white and 11% from non white  backgrounds.

Changing these statistics requires all of us to understand what we can do make our clubs, teams, schools and associations inclusive.

Jersey Sport’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Sport and Physical Activity workshop launching on 5 February 2020, but repeated throughout the year, has been developed in partnership with Liberate and with the support of EY.

It aims to give players, captains, coaches, referees, umpires, volunteers, club officers and other supporters an introduction to issues around diversity and inclusion, and is as essential for sports clubs and associations as safeguarding, mental health awareness and first aid – which is why it is part of Jersey Sport’s SportsMark Essential scheme. For details of all the scheme workshops, please visit: www.jerseysport.je/workshops

Contact Jersey Sport – info@jerseysport.je or 757700 – for more information.