The Bears’ final Vitality Blast group game today (2 July) will be a colourful occasion as the Club shows its support for the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Laces initiative.
The Bears’ final Vitality Blast group game today (2 July) will be a colourful occasion as the Club shows its support for the LGBTQ+ Rainbow Laces initiative.
Rainbow Laces – organised by the charity Stonewall – has become a symbol of inclusion across sport since its inception in 2013 with more than one million people ‘lacing up’ over the decade in support of the campaign.
Bears players will be wearing rainbow laces for the North Group finale against Durham and rainbow stickers will be on the match stumps.
England Women’s Ashes IT20 against Australia on 5 July and Day 1 of the men’s Ashes at Headingley on 6 July have also been identified as days to celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
England’s Joe Root said: “As players we have a platform to use and as a group we believe cricket should be a game that everyone can play, watch and enjoy.
“We’re really proud to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in cricket, and we know that supporting a campaign like this can help LGBTQ+ individuals feel supported in the game.”
Warwickshire has a strong partnership with the Birmingham Unicorns – one of only two LGBTQ+ cricket clubs in the country – and in partnership with them the Club recently organised the country’s first ever LGBTQ+ cricket tournament.
Sides representing five professional clubs – Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Middlesex and Northamptonshire – competed in the event at Sutton Coldfield CC on 11 June in front of around 200 spectators.
Warwickshire High Performance Manager Paul Greetham – the newly appointed Vice Chair of the ECB’s LGBTQ+ Committee, said: “The LGBTQ+ community is one that’s felt under-represented in sport but initiatives like Rainbow Laces, and the event we held in Sutton, are helping change attitudes.
“It was great to see so many people from the LGBTQ+ community involved at Sutton, playing a sport they love and being their authentic selves.
“These projects illustrate that it doesn’t matter who you are, how you identify, what your background is, or who you hold hands with on the boundary rope, cricket is a sport for you.”
