Pride in Sport is a national not-for-profit program that assists sporting organisations and clubs with the inclusion of LGBTI employees, players, volunteers and spectators. It is part of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, which provides a range of services to employers, sporting organisations and service providers with support in all aspects of LGBTI inclusion. All funds generated through membership and ticketed events go back into the work of Pride in Sport, actively working alongside sporting organisations, clubs and participants to make Australian sport inclusive of LGBTI communities.
Cricket Victoria, Tennis Australia, Australian Football League (AFL) club St. Kilda and Melbourne University Sport are among other sporting organisations and individuals who have been named as Australia’s best for LGBTQ inclusion at the Australian Pride in Sport Awards held today at the Cargo Hall in Melbourne.
The Australian Pride in Sport Awards is the first celebration of its kind dedicated solely to recognising exceptional efforts in making sport more inclusive of LGBTQ people. It is produced by Pride in Sport, the national not-for-profit sporting inclusion program spearheaded by Australia’s largest LGBTQ health organisation, ACON.
“Despite significant recent gains in equality and law reform, the past year has shown that struggles continue to persist for LGBTQ people in Australia, including within the sporting sector,” said ACON Vice-President and Co-Founder of the PSI, Andrew Purchas, “These awards and the index continue to highlight the important inclusion work being done by many within Australian sport, as they provide sporting organisations and figures with an opportunity to reflect on their work in the inclusion of LGBTQ participants and staff, and identify areas they can address to ensure their sport is truly inclusive.”
Many of Australia’s sporting organisations are taking the positive steps needed to be taken to ensure your sexuality, gender identity and experience does not impact your ability to play, watch or be involved with sport at any level.
The awards, hosted by NITV presenter Matty Webb, featured a host of leading sporting and community figures, including a keynote address from the first openly gay NRL referee Matt Cecchin, Australia’s first openly gay male soccer player Andy Brennan, and leading Australian cricketer and co-patron of Pride in Sport, Alex Blackwell.
This year’s PSI results saw a 61 per cent increase in index submissions, highlighting the focus sporting entities are beginning to put on LGBTQ inclusion within various codes. In addition, award nominations from the wider community also rose by 70 per cent, indicating that a far greater portion of the sporting community are achieving positive outcomes when they develop initiatives for inclusion at a grassroots level.
“Since 2016, the Pride in Sport Index has continued to see a significant shift in practice with LGBTQ inclusion work in Australian sport. With a wide range of sporting organisations participating, we are seeing more and more commitments to providing safer and more inclusive environments and experiences for LGBTQ people” said Program Manager for Pride in Sport Beau Newell, “While inclusion has well and truly made its way onto the Australian workplace diversity and inclusion agenda, there is more to be done to ensure that sport in Australia can experience greater levels of LGBTQ inclusion.”
2019 Pride in Sport Awards Recipients
| Award | Recipient |
| Highest Ranking Overall | Melbourne University Sport and Tennis Australia |
| Highest Ranking State Sporting Organisation | Cricket Victoria |
| Highest Ranking Professional Club | St Kilda Football Club |
| LGBTI Ally Award | David Kyle, North Gippsland Football & Netball League |
| LGBTI Inclusive Coach | Aaron Lucas, Sydney Roller Derby League |
| LGBTI Community Sport | Perth Pythons LGBTI+ Hockey Club |
| LGBTI Out Role Model | Tony Boutoubia (Tennis) |
| LGBTI Inclusion Initiative | LGBTIQA+ Women’s Water Polo Program (Sydney Stingers Water Polo) |
| Small Club Award | Loton Park Tennis Club |
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