Seven Manly Warringah Eagles players to boycott rugby league match over gay pride jersey

Seven rugby league players are boycotting a match on Thursday over their team’s decision to wear a gay pride jersey. 

The ABC understands Manly Sea Eagles stars Josh Aloiai, Toafofoa Sipley, Tolutau Koula, Christian Tuipulotu,  Haumole Olakau’atu, Jason Saab and Josh Schuster have refused to play due to their religious and personal beliefs. 

It means ninth-placed Manly, who are fighting to keep their finals hopes on track against the Roosters, who are eighth, face the prospect of entering the critical Round 20 fixture with a wildly disrupted line-up.

There are six home-and-away rounds to play this season.

The Sea Eagles must name their team for Thursday night’s clash by 4pm today.

The club’s management team held an emergency meeting last night to take control of the fallout.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he hoped the situation was “resolved”.

“It’s a good thing that sport is more inclusive,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese said Ian Roberts, the first Manly legend and the first NRL player to come out openly as gay in 1995, showed courage.

“He wasn’t the first gay man to play rugby, I’ll give you the big tip, [but] he was the first to be able to have the courage to come out — and that paved the way for others to do so,” he said.

“It’s important in Australian society that we respect everyone for who they are.”

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Anthony Albanese says he hopes Manly pride jersey debacle can be resolved respectfully

Writing about the matter on social media this morning, Federal Minister for Sport Anika Wells told her social media followers: “It’s all the same love.”

“Club uniforms are a matter for clubs but I think Macklemore said it best already — it’s all the Same Love,” she said referencing a popular song about gay pride. 

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’Landys told Nine Radio players could act as they wished, but the NRL supported equality.

“We’re all human beings at the end of the day,” Mr V’Landys said.

“But at the same time you have to respect the players’ religious and cultural beliefs. Those players are taking a stance and they have every right to.”

Mr V’Landys said the issue of gay rights should not be political.

“We go to sport to escape the day to day problems,” he said.

“Recognising and respecting fellow human beings, I do not believe is political … we will not change our stance.”

On Sunday, the club announced it would wear an LGBTQIA+ jersey for the Round 20 match against the Roosters at Brookvale.

A rainbow design replaces the usual strip’s white hoops to celebrate “inclusiveness”, with Kieran Foran, Reuben Garrick and Sean Keppie among those who launched the jersey on social media. 

But the decision has sparked unrest among players who were not consulted by the club.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds2m 40s Manly Eagles players to boycott game to protest LGBT jersey

Interim Sea Eagles CEO Gary Wolman said the club was proud to spread an important message.

“The Sea Eagles have such a rich and diverse history in rugby league and in the community,” Wolman said.

“[It’s] a fantastic achievement and we are pleased to be able to share such an important message that means so much to many people in the community.”

Roberts told The Daily Telegraph the decision by the seven players “breaks his heart”. 

“It’s sad and uncomfortable,” he said.

“As an older gay man, this isn’t unfamiliar. I did wonder whether there would be any religious push back.

“That’s why I think the NRL have never had a pride round.

“I can promise you every young kid on the Northern Beaches who is dealing with their sexuality would have heard about this.”

Posted 1h ago1 hours agoMon 25 Jul 2022 at 10:27pm, updated 16m ago16 minutes agoMon 25 Jul 2022 at 11:43pm