MADRID, 28 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The water polo player and LGTBI secretary of the PSOE, Víctor Gutiérrez, expressed his satisfaction that the future new Sports Law already recognizes this group “with a series of protections” and asked to “give it tools so that its operation is immediate”, although not He hid his “shame” that it is in sports where ‘LGTBIphobic’ behavior continues to be accentuated.
“Thanks to all the agents who have worked to carry out this very difficult law and with so many actors involved. After 32 years, it was our turn to have the LGTBI collective recognized with a series of protections, and I mean each one of the acronyms that make up that word”, warned Gutiérrez in his appearance at the conference ‘The new Sports Law, an opportunity for the country’, held in Congress.
For the water polo player, it is “super important” that the new legislation will “equate the fight against ‘LGTBIphobia’ with that against racism and xenophobia.” “This is going to make us advance by leaps and bounds. We have taken 30 years and now we have to work so that the law settles and give it tools so that it can function immediately,” he stressed.
“Throughout my career I have suffered ‘LGTBIphobic’ behaviors and attitudes, which far from evolving, were perpetuated in sport. Spanish society is a benchmark in terms of acceptance, but we must also be critical of our sport and although I am proud to be an athlete, I feel ashamed that it is an area where there is an accusing finger at LGTBI people or 50,000 people calling a player a ‘faggot’ on a soccer field without anything happening. This is now recognized by law and is essential “, he pointed out.
Gutiérrez recalled having “the dubious honor” of having caused the first sanction in Spanish sport for Nemanja Ubovic’s homophobic behavior. “With the law in hand, we did not have a protocol for this type of behavior and I was lucky that it was acted upon. That the new law incorporates a sanctioning regime is important because it seems that we react when our pockets are touched,” he said.
In the same way, the LGTBI secretary of the PSOE considers it positive that for the new text “all the realities of athletes” have been taken into account. “This part is absolutely essential because you cannot do the most basic thing if you are not okay with yourself and if you have to carry your identity with shame. It is important that this law is going to be a guarantor with LGTBI people, but let’s not forget that 99 Percent of athletes are not professionals and the sport that I defend must be open to everyone and the doors cannot be closed to anyone,” he remarked.
Finally, I make it clear that “what is not seen is as if it did not exist”. “At an age when you are so vulnerable, it is important to see someone like you and with a positive message, that there are people who are brave and who with their testimony can open the way and make it visible that you can play sports as an LGTBI person and that It’s for everyone,” he said.