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Paddy Power, the United Kingdom’s third largest bookmaker, will begin working with LGBT charity Stonewall to get behind gay footballers.
The betting firm just sent out rainbow-coloured laces to 134 football clubs asking them to “show the world they’ve got the balls to support gay players” by wearing them in their boots this weekend.
We love football but it needs a kick up the arse,” said Paddy Power on the bookmaker’s blog. “In most other areas of life people can be open about their sexuality and it’s time for football to take a stand and show players it doesn’t matter what team they play for.
“Fans can show they are right behind this by simply tweeting using the #RBGF hashtag whilst all players have to do is lace up this weekend to help set an example in world sport.”
Paddy Power is no stranger to drumming up public awareness via the mass media. Earlier in the month they sponsored retired NBA star Dennis Rodman’s second trip to North Korea. The company once sponsored a confession box outside a Catholic church, plastered an ad in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, for betting on the next Pope and erected a Hollywood-like sign on Cleeve Hill overlooking Cheltenham Racecourse.
- Sparky Collins, Gambling911.com
