Hundreds of students from the University of Chichester have pledged to tackle LGBTQ+ discrimination in sport.
More than 400 people from 25 different clubs and societies signed a sports charter to show their commitment to promoting inclusivity.
The pledge is part of the #TakeAStand campaign, organised by British Universities and Colleges Sport, to make games accessible to everyone.
SU president Lauren Ellis said: “The #TakeAStand campaign is all about standing against discrimination in sport whether that’s homophobia or racism.
“The sports charter is for students to show they agree that these discriminations shouldn’t be in sport at our University.
“As soon as they signed the charter they were given a rainbow lace to use in their sport fixtures for the rest of the season, if they wish, to show their support for the #TakeAStand campaign as individuals and as a team.
“Other universities get involved with it and will do different things but we do quite a lot here – our aim is to make sport inclusive to all our students.
“In a couple of weeks we will be raising awareness about discrimination against disability in sport and encouraging all of our sport students and sports clubs to be inclusive to disabled students.”
The sports charter promotes fairness, equality, respect, and dignity by encouraging people of different sexual orientation and backgrounds to participate in sport.
It is also committed to working with LGBTQ+ groups to rid games of homophobia and transphobia, while ensuring those taking part challenge unacceptable behaviour.
Daisy Smale, the University’s sports federation president, added: “We are proud to have so many students supporting the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The sports charter forms part of the #TakeAStand campaign and coincided with the launch of our new #TakeAStand accreditation scheme.
“This scheme enables clubs to earn a bronze, silver, or gold accreditation by completing a series of inclusion-focused activities.
“Many are already well to their way to bronze.”
