The WBC joins the International Day Against Homophobia in Sports

The WBC joins the #InternationalDayAgainstHomophobiaInSport

This Documentary highlights the big importance inclusion has. Breaking and defeating homophobia in sport shoul be everyone’s fight. Boxing is an honorable sport, which in each combat leaves a trace of its humanism and greatness, after fighting against an adversary, both melts into an emotional hug in the center of the ring and recognizing in each other the virtues and qualities of opposition and nothing else.

Please watch it and join The #InternationalDayAgainstHomophobiaInSports.

The World Boxing Council, during its 60-year history, has categorically rejected any expression of discrimination: Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Abuse of Power, Sexual Orientation, since any discriminatory form leads to abuse of power and terrible acts of injustice.

Some of the greatest achievements of the World Boxing Council have been linked to humanitarian causes, through the development of actions that seek to promote equity and justice

-We fought against Apartheid in South Africa, inspired by the leadership of Nelson Mandela who maintained a real battle against racial discrimination and won. Muhammad Ali joined the fight of that country and refused to fight there. And so many more boxers and promoters, in addition to other sports.

-Through united work that took more than 30 years, it was possible to obtain a presidential pardon by Donald Trump for Jack Johnson, the first African-American world heavyweight champion, who was imprisoned for bogus crimes.

– In 2022, the WBC decided that it would not sanction any fight within the territory of Russia or Belarus or any fight that involved any boxer from either of these two countries, this due to the military invasion of Ukraine.

The #InternationalDayAgainstHomophobiaInSports is commemorated on February 19 in memory of Justin Fashanu, the first soccer player to openly acknowledge being gay in the 1990s.

His life was marked by intolerance. He was discriminated against because of his racial origin and sexual orientation, and eventually he tragically took his own life at a time when society still did not understand the magnitude of the consequences caused by hatred, isolation and fear of what was different.

For this reason, the WBC joins this commemorative date while condemning all discriminatory acts. We urge all athletes to contact us via email at contact@wbcboxing.com in case they have been subjected to any type of discrimination.