Premier League ditches LGBTQ+ rainbow armbands for captains ahead of the upcoming season

The Premier League has reportedly terminated its partnership with LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall ahead of the upcoming season, bringing to an end an eight-year partnership. 

According to The Telegraph, the decision to ditch rainbow armbands and laces was taken in a meeting held with all 20 club captains on Thursday. 

The report claims that ‘education through its community programmes would also remain a priority’. 

Instead of continuing with the Rainbow Laces initiative, the Premier League will launch its own campaign to coincide with LGBTQ+ History Month in February. 

It also saw an agreement reached for players to continue taking the knee in support of the fight against racism.

Upon the end of its Rainbow Laces partnership with the Premier League, a Stonewall Spokesperson said: ‘Rainbow Laces has helped improve LGBTQ+ inclusion, acceptance and participation in sport at all levels, whether player, participant or fan. 

‘Rainbow Laces has helped to significantly shift the dial and while it can still prove difficult for elite players themselves to be openly LGBTQ+ on the pitch, there are now some role models; at the grass-roots level it is easier to participate and as a fan the LGBTQ+ community has increasingly felt more accepted.’

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