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| Gareth 'Alfie' Thomas bids to outlaw homophobic chanting | Gareth 'Alfie' Thomas bids to outlaw homophobic chanting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ex-Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has said he is amazed that football fans are still getting away with homophobic chanting at matches. | Ex-Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has said he is amazed that football fans are still getting away with homophobic chanting at matches. |
| He described it as "alarming" and said some clubs were not stopping the abuse. | He described it as "alarming" and said some clubs were not stopping the abuse. |
| Thomas made 100 appearances for Wales and came out as gay in December 2009. | Thomas made 100 appearances for Wales and came out as gay in December 2009. |
| It comes as he attempts to change the law to put homophobic and transphobic abuse on par with racial abuse at sporting events. | It comes as he attempts to change the law to put homophobic and transphobic abuse on par with racial abuse at sporting events. |
| On Monday Thomas, who played for Cardiff Blues, Bridgend and Toulouse in rugby union as well as Crusaders in the Super League, will launch a draft bill with MP Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons culture and sport committee, to amend the 1991 Football Offences Act. | On Monday Thomas, who played for Cardiff Blues, Bridgend and Toulouse in rugby union as well as Crusaders in the Super League, will launch a draft bill with MP Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons culture and sport committee, to amend the 1991 Football Offences Act. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Wales ahead of the event, Thomas said: "At the moment we're in a very grey area of what is allowed and what isn't allowed, and when you change the law you make it black or you make it white." | |
| He added it was "amazing" football fans were allowed to chant homophobic and transphobic abuse without punishment. | He added it was "amazing" football fans were allowed to chant homophobic and transphobic abuse without punishment. |
| He has previously spoken of his battle with his sexuality and how he came close to suicide after his wife left him three months after he came out. | He has previously spoken of his battle with his sexuality and how he came close to suicide after his wife left him three months after he came out. |
| Thomas revealed that he hid his sexuality from everyone - until admitting his secret to his wife. | Thomas revealed that he hid his sexuality from everyone - until admitting his secret to his wife. |
| He told BBC Wales in 2014: "My career life was very public, but behind what happened on television and wearing my Wales rugby jersey with pride I was slowly dying. | He told BBC Wales in 2014: "My career life was very public, but behind what happened on television and wearing my Wales rugby jersey with pride I was slowly dying. |
| "I'm not sure if it was because I was gay that I felt such depression, it was just that I was lying to everyone." | "I'm not sure if it was because I was gay that I felt such depression, it was just that I was lying to everyone." |
| Monday's launch event will take place at the Houses of Parliament before the Conservative Folkestone and Hythe MP tables the bill. | Monday's launch event will take place at the Houses of Parliament before the Conservative Folkestone and Hythe MP tables the bill. |
| Section three of the existing act states that "it is an offence to engage or take part in chanting of an indecent or racialist nature at a designated football match". | Section three of the existing act states that "it is an offence to engage or take part in chanting of an indecent or racialist nature at a designated football match". |
| There is a definition of "racialist" - described as "threatening, abusive or insulting to a person by reason of his colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins". | There is a definition of "racialist" - described as "threatening, abusive or insulting to a person by reason of his colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins". |
| But there is no definition of what is "indecent", so determining whether something is indecent is considered on a case-by-case basis. | But there is no definition of what is "indecent", so determining whether something is indecent is considered on a case-by-case basis. |
| In 2017 Thomas presented a BBC documentary called Gareth Thomas v Homophobia, Hate in the Beautiful Game, focusing on institutionalised homophobia in football. | In 2017 Thomas presented a BBC documentary called Gareth Thomas v Homophobia, Hate in the Beautiful Game, focusing on institutionalised homophobia in football. |
| The culture and sport committee in the same year published its report into tackling homophobia in sport. | The culture and sport committee in the same year published its report into tackling homophobia in sport. |