Revealed: Seven Manly players refusing to wear historic LGBTIQA jersey – Fox Sports
Manly are facing a major headache with seven players considering not wearing a pride jersey against the Roosters on Thursday.
The Sea Eagles are set to become the first club in NRL history to wear a LGBTIQA kit, but the players in question are weighing up whether to sit the match out.
Several Manly players posed in the jersey titled “everyone in league” on Monday, with rainbow colours replacing the traditional white strip.
Sean Keppie, Kieran Foran and Reuben Garrick all smiled for photos in the jersey but some of their teammates are unimpressed.
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
*Odds are current as of 25th July 2022, 7:38pm AEST
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The disgruntled players claim they were not consulted by the club before they announced the historic strip would be worn this week.
The club will hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to find a solution.
The players are reportedly mostly of Polynesian backgrounds and are considering a boycott of the game.
Sea Eagles great Ian Roberts, the first rugby league player to come out as openly gay, was hoping to attend the game this Thursday.
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“LGBTIQA people have always been a part of sport but haven’t always been allowed the visibility,” Roberts said.
“Honestly I have been trying to get the NRL to have a pride round for the past three years and it still hasn’t got the traction it deserves.
“It saddens me because they think having a float at the Mardi Gras is enough and it’s not.”
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