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Liverpool tackling homophobia in football, says the club's diversity manager

:Headline: Liverpool tackling homophobia in football, says the club's diversity manager:
Rishi Jain, senior manager equality, diversity and inclusion at Anfield, admits there is no quick fix.
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Liverpool tackling homophobia in football, says the club's diversity manager

Liverpool have "moved the conversation forward" when it comes to addressing homophobia in football, according to the man tasked with improving inclusivity at Anfield.

Rishi Jain, senior manager equality, diversity and inclusion, admits there is no quick fix to problems of homophobia and racism in football but believes, with the help of manager Jurgen Klopp, they have already made significant strides on the former.

Twice within a fortnight in August Reds fans were condemned by the club for homophobic chants directed firstly at Norwich's on-loan Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour and the during the home game with Thomas Tuchel's European champions.

The offensive song has had regular airings in meetings with the Stamford Bridge side over the years but this season Liverpool have moved to try to put a stop to it.

Klopp, in an interview with Paul Amann, the founder of Liverpool's LGBT+ supporters group Kop Outs which is backed by the club, urged fans not to sing the song again saying: "It's from no perspective the nicest song in the world, so it's not necessary."

Jain believes that and the support of players like club captain Jordan Henderson have elevated awareness of the problem to a new level.

"It is a wider problem but are we going to shy away from it? No," he told the PA news agency.

"This club has done a massive amount of work to address issues of homophobic chanting.

"The example of the Chelsea chant and the piece with Jurgen we have moved that conversation forward decades probably.

“This club has done a massive amount of work to address issues of homophobic chanting”
- Rishi Jain, Liverpool's senior manager on diversity

"I know that is appreciated not only by our supporter base but other supporter bases who really feel offended by that chant.

"And we will keep on doing that. It is not just 'Right, we've ticked a box, see you later'.

"It is about how we continue to have that conversation and educate people in the right way and move the dial forward."

Despite the work being done across the board by clubs, the Football Association and the Premier League there are currently no openly gay footballers in England's top four divisions.

Earlier this month former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand told a Parliamentary committee of MPs a gay footballer was advised against publicly coming out by a lawyer over fears of the effect the media scrutiny would have on his mental health.

Rishi Jain, Liverpool's senior manager equality, diversity and inclusion, believes a gay footballer coming out is not "a million miles away" (Credit: Liverpool FC)

Jain, however, hopes the day is getting closer when it will no longer be an issue.

"I don't feel like we are a million miles away from that now," he added.

"The work LGBGT+ supporters' groups have done, work the football authorities have done, Stonewall and other charities in the space we are moving forward.

"I do think we will get there but that's not the ultimate goal. For me it is having a football stadium, having an industry, our national sport, where you can be whoever you want without fear of discrimination.

"Their reasons to come out or not is personal to them. All we could ever promise is if anyone from our club or any player we are associated with chose to make that decision we would back them to the hilt.

"There are not many other industries you would need to come out and declare your sexuality, so why should you have to?

"But at the same time when that does happen we will be standing side-by-side with any player, showing support for them.

"When that happens it will be a landmark moment for the game but it will immediately become history. It should just become part and parcel."

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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool21155150203050
2Arsenal22128243212244
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest22135433221144
4Chelsea22117444271740
5Manchester CityMan City22115644291538
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle22115638261238
7Bournemouth22107536261037
8Aston Villa2210663334-136
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2281043530534
10Fulham228953430433
11Brentford2284104039128
12Crystal Palace226972528-327
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd2275102732-526
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham2275102743-1626
15Tottenham HotspurSpurs22731245351024
16Everton214891828-1020
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2244143251-1916
18Ipswich TownIpswich2237122043-2316
19Leicester CityLeicester2235142348-2514
20Southampton2213181550-356
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