Tragic gay trailblazer Fashanu honoured

London, February 19

Justin Fashanu, who in 1990 became the first English professional footballer to reveal he was gay, will be honoured today by being inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame.

Fashanu will be honoured on what would have been his 59th birthday — he hanged himself in May 1998 — an occasion also marked by a reminder from Manchester United that homophobia still exists in football. “We were the first club to sign up to the TeamPride coalition and continue to collaborate with Stonewall and other anti-discriminatory organisations in this area.”

Fashanu’s niece Amal, who recalls all too well her uncle’s tragic death when she was aged nine, will accept the award in Manchester.

Fashanu had a sublime talent and a penchant for scoring spectacular goals — one for Norwich against Liverpool in February 1980 was voted goal of the season.

Such goals earned him a £1 million move to Nottingham Forest in 1981 — the first black player in British football to break that barrier. — AFP

Chelsea ban group of United fans for homophobic chants

Paris: Chelsea have said they will ban a “large group” of Manchester United supporters who made homophobic chants at Monday’s Premier League match at Stamford Bridge. “At last night’s match a large group of Manchester United supporters made unacceptable homophobic chants,” Chelsea said in a statement. The Blues suffered a controversial 2-0 loss. Reuters