Saturday, June 18, 2011

The football season has ended but instead of taking the opportunity to bring back a general sports programme like Sportsround, CBBC has taken the decision to plough on with Match of the Day Kickabout. With just over a year to the London Olympics and Paralympics it seems a rather bizarre decision. There might have been some point had MOTD Kickabout kept its original promise to cover all things footie.

This week new legislation was introduced in the Scottish Parliament intended to reduce prejudice-based hooliganism at football matches. But rather than report this important football news the programme seems more at home with vacuous banter. The lookie-likie section today ended with a rather hackneyed comparison of Wayne Rooney and Shrek. I imagine Wayne is past caring, but it sent the wrong message to kids who bully, or are bullied about their appearance.

One football player who didn't take well to prejudice and bigotry in football was Justin Fashanu. Match of the Day Kickabout had a chance to celebrate his life and achievement on Football v Homophobia Day - 19th February 2011 - the date which would have been his 50th birthday. However that was another opportunity sadly missed by BBC Children's.

CBBC routinely ignores homophobic bullying, but yesterday the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution which deals with sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination. The Resolution removes doubt regarding the interpretation of Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights dated 10th December 1948.

I'm pleased to say that, following correspondence with the My Hero Project in the United States, they have now added a section on LGBT Heroes, which also includes a link to a copy of the aforementioned Declaration.

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