NSW Sport: Bingham Cup was the Event of the Year
The huge gay and inclusive rugby tournament hosted in Sydney last Autumn has won a prestigious award: the NSW Sporting Event of the Year.
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ARU BOARD APPROVES INCLUSION POLICY AHEAD OF 2014 BINGHAM CUP
29 August 2014 |
ARU BOARD APPROVES INCLUSION POLICY AHEAD OF 2014 BINGHAM CUP |
Australian Rugby Union is delighted to announce a new Inclusion Policy, which is designed to stamp out all forms of discrimination and homophobia in Rugby and ensure a positive environment for everyone involved in the game.
Today’s announcement coincides with the launch of the 2014 Bingham Cup, which will see thousands of international Rugby players, fans and media gather in Sydney for the world cup of gay Rugby.
In August last year, the ARU became the first major Australian sporting code to commit to developing an Inclusion Policy.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver reaffirmed Australian Rugby’s resolve to eliminate discrimination in Rugby in April this year when he joined the leaders of other sporting codes to sign a collective commitment to stamp out homophobia in each of their respective sports.
“We’ve worked with a number of stakeholders to develop our Inclusion Policy – most particularly, the organisers of the 2014 Bingham Cup, who were instrumental in putting a framework together earlier this year,” Pulver said.
“Our new Inclusion Policy reinforces Australian Rugby’s commitment to ensuring every individual, whether they’re players, supporters, coaches or administrators, feel safe, welcome and included, regardless of race, gender or sexuality.
“Over the next few months we’ll start implementing our Policy to ensure everyone involved in our game at all levels is aware of it and understands our expectations.
“We want Australian Rugby to be an environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity, reflecting our desire to create a truly diverse and inclusive Australian Rugby community.
“There is absolutely no place for homophobia or any form of discrimination in our game and our actions and words, both on and off the field, must reflect this.
“I am confident our Inclusion Policy signals our clear stance on discrimination. It will ensure everyone in Rugby understands our position on inclusion and will help us tackle homophobia in all aspects of our sport.
“Congratulations to the 2014 Bingham Cup Committee which has done a remarkable job in creating real change, in addition to organising what is set to be a terrific tournament in Sydney this weekend.
“On behalf of Australian Rugby, I would like to welcome all Bingham Cup athletes and supporters to Sydney as we celebrate a future for Australian Sport – free of discrimination.
“I wish all the competitors well for the tournament and look forward to watching some fantastic Rugby in Woollahra and Rose Bay over the next few days.”
Qantas Wallabies stalwart and Bingham Cup Ambassador, Adam Ashley-Cooper, echoed Mr Pulver’s sentiments in expressing his support for the tournament.
“I’m extremely proud to be part of an event which is challenging stereotypes and the 2014 Bingham Cup is an excellent chance to foster further growth for the initiative.”
“Freeing Australian sport of discrimination is crucial and I’m looking forward to supporting players from around the world as they band together for a great cause,” Ashley-Cooper said.
The 2014 Bingham Cup will be played in Sydney from Friday 29 August to Sunday 31 August.
Hosted by the Sydney Convicts, Australia’s first gay Rugby club, it will see 24 Rugby teams from more than 15 countries compete in one of the largest international Rugby tournaments of the year.
To find out more about Bingham Cup, visit http://binghamcup.com/
The ARU’s Inclusion Policy can be viewed at http://www.rugby.com.au/ARUHQ/inclusionpolicy.aspx
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Mark Bingham
The Bingham Cup is named in honour of Mark Bingham, a great rugby player and a great guy. He was fundamental in the establishment of two premier gay rugby clubs – the San Francisco Fog and the Gotham Knights. He is also now known internationally as one of the heroes of 9/11. The global gay rugby community are privileged to compete in the Bingham Cup named in his honour.
Mark Bingham, a former University of California, Berkeley rugby star, was instrumental in the establishment of the San Francisco Fog Rugby Football Club. A few months later after the Fog was admitted to the Northern Californian Football Union, Bingham died in the September 11 attacks on board United Airlines Flight 93. He was one of a group of passengers who took amazing measures to attack the hijackers, which eventually led to them crashing the plane into a vacant field in Pennsylvania instead of its targets of Washington, D.C.
At the time of Mark Bingham’s tragic death, only six gay and inclusive rugby clubs existed worldwide. Two of those were co-founded by Mark. Today there are almost 60 clubs. The Bingham Cup is the global event that promotes rugby union as an inclusive non-discriminatory sport.
In an email to the Fog after their acceptance into their local union, Bingham wrote,
“We have the chance to be role models for other gay folks who wanted to play sports, but never felt good enough or strong enough. More importantly, we have the chance to show the other teams in the league that we are as good as they are. Good rugby players. Good partiers. Good sports. Good men.”