Heroes of Football Always part of a team

Heroes of Football “A European mission to ensure that everyone who loves football or takes part in the game, enjoys it for 100% and can be who they are for 100% This way everyone can give it the full 100% together with the team.

Sports Playing sports connects and playing together with your team transcends all differences that we have. TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More.

Football Football is the largest sport on the planet and it’s also a sport where homosexuality is hardly ever talked about. Football is the sport that reaches the most people. Football can therefore contribute enormously and be a leading example: on the road to an inclusive society, where everyone can participate regardless of his or her sexual orientation.

Gay acceptance Football belongs to everyone! This includes players with a different sexual orientation.

Heroes of Football As we speak, there is no openly gay professional player in Europe. When looking ahead to 2020, it’s unthinkable that there would not be any openly gay player on the pitch.

We know that professional players are not coming out in 2016 because there is a lot of tension around the subject and there are ‘seemingly’ many uncertainties when coming out as a (professional) football player. Like being uncertain whether or not other players will be willing to share a locker room with you, or whether supporters will accept you or not. In amateur football there are many players that quit during puberty, when they find out that they are gay. This way a lot of the fun of playing football, as well as potential super talent, is lost.

Heroes of Football is going to turn the tide and make sure everyone who wants to play football can do so while having fun and players can be who they are, wherever they are .

Heroes of Football is going to start an awareness campaign where young heroes (the professional football players of tomorrow), who already came out, are supported by top professional players. Together they form the ‘Heroes of Football Team’. The campaign consists of commercials, posters and online advertorials, where the young heroes tell their story whilst being visibly supported by the professional football players.

Heroes of Football makes football associations, executives, players and sponsors sign the "Heroes of Football Pledge" in which they promise to actively work towards an inclusive sports climate. Signing the pledge will be recorded and these movies will be part of the awareness campaign.

Heroes of Football will make a statement via a launching event taking place before and during halftime of major World Cup qualification games all over Europe.

Heroes of Football reaches out to amateur club all over Europe with a tool kit that will give them the tools required to openly discuss the subject of homosexuality.

Heroes of Football reaches out football fans with an international documentary that shows whether the football world in Europe is ready to start accepting homosexual players.

Winning There is a lot to be gained by the football world via Heroes of Football. If football is really for everyone, this will have an effect on everything. µ Talented players that drop out because they don’t dare coming out, will be able to develop themselves. µ Football will become an example for diversity µ Football can keep developing in an ever changing world µ The brand of football will become more powerful and more commercially attractive. Take a look at brands like Nike and Adidas that use the power of diversity to strengthen their brand.

The broad approach of Heroes of Football allows us to reach a very large and diverse target audience of football fans. With Heroes of Football, we change the norms on and around the pitch. It’s no longer cool to exclude people but instead it will become cool to include everyone and have everyone play and win together. Football is for everyone.

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Official Supporting Partners:

µ KNVB – Michael van Praag President of the KNVB / Royal Netherlands Football Association µ PSV - Toon Gerbrands CEO PSV / CEO of the Philips Athletic Association of The Netherlands µ FIFPro - Fédération Internationale des Associations de Footballeurs Professionnels / World Players Union µ VVCS - Vereniging van Contractspelers / Dutch Players’ Union µ NPO - Nederlandse Publieke Omroep / Dutch Public Broadcasting Co. µ NTR - Independent Dutch Public Service µ Broadcaster µ VRT - Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep / Flemish Radio and Television Broadcaster µ PwC - PricewaterhouseCoopers µ Bundesstiftung Magnus Hirschfeld, µ Gemeente Amsterdam / Municipality of Amsterdam µ NOC*NSF - Nederlands Olympisch Committee * Nederlandse Sport Federatie / Netherlands Olympic Committee * Netherlands Sports Confederation µ ENEI - UK’s leading Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion µ ILGA Europe - The European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Association µ Movies that Matters - film festival initiative of Amnesty International µ FARE Network – umbrella organisation that brings together individuals, informal groups and organisations driven to combat inequality in football and use the sport as a means for social change µ Thomas Hitzlsperger - German former international football player and only openly gay professional in Europe.

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