It is also something at which every sport should be taking a close look.
Manly decided to wear a strip with the white spaces filled with rainbow colours for the Women in League Round.
Coach and club legend Des Hasler said the jersey’s intent was to support the advocacy and human rights pertaining to gender, race, culture, ability and LGBTQ movements.
The playing group wasn’t consulted, and seven players decided to boycott the match, refusing to wear the jersey based on their own beliefs.
Tonight (Thursday), Manly is fighting for a finals berth in the National Rugby League, and it will field a makeshift, and more than likely, uncompetitive team against the Sydney Roosters.
The teams are 8th and 9th on the ladder on equal points, so it is a crucial game — what we would call in the AFL an eight-point game.
Leaving aside the messy structure of the Sea Eagles, the result of a merger, the main mission of any NRL club is to promote and play rugby league, and win matches and premierships.
The question members should be asking is whether putting any cause above fielding the best team and having the best shot at winning amounts to a dereliction of duty on behalf of the directors.
The only achievement for inclusivity was in the sweeping inclusions in Hasler’s public apology.
“Sadly, the execution of what was intended to be an extremely important initiative was poor. There was little consultation or collaboration between key stakeholders, both inside and outside the club,” he said on Tuesday.
“Our intent was to be caring and compassionate towards all diverse groups who face inclusion issues daily. However, instead of enhancing tolerance and acceptance, we may have hindered this. This was the opposite of our intent.
“This poor mismanagement has caused significant confusion, discomfort and pain for many people.”
That pain will be extended to supporters if, as expected, the Sea Eagles lose.
There are many great causes, and sport increasingly plays a part in spreading positive values.
It will come as no surprise to diverse communities that inclusivity and acceptance isn’t universal. It clearly isn’t at Manly, just as it isn’t universal in the general community. Likely it never will be.
We have made great strides through.
In June 2020 Australia was ranked 11th globally on the LGBT Acceptance Index score, and the legal recognition and protections against discrimination outstripped any other OECD country.
Research indicates those countries with positive progress continue to get better, so rainbow jersey or not, we are getting there.
11°C