Paddy Power, the Irish betting company, has said it will donate $16,000 to LGBTQI causes for every goal the Russian football team scores during the 2018 Football World Cup.
Even if the Russian team doesn’t score, Paddy Power will still donate $83,000, NewsHub reports.
Russia, which is hosting the World Cup this year, is well known for its discrimination against the LGBTQI community and laws restricting their rights.
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The Evening Standard reports the UK Parliament’s foreign affairs select committee warned gay World Cup fans that they could "not only face the risk of violence from vigilante groups, but lack adequate protection from the state."
From Russia with Equal Love! We’re donating £10,000 to LGBT+ charities for EVERY goal Russia score at the #WorldCup… And a minimum £50k if they don’t find the net: https://t.co/Hi7hoPb8xr ?️???
— Paddy Power Offers (@PPOffers) June 14, 2018
They added: “The far-right culture of Russian hooligan groups could place LGBT fans at particular risk of violence."
The money will be donated to Attitude, the bestselling gay magazine in the UK, and the funds will go towards making football more inclusive.
According to Paddy Power's website, their goal is to: Challenge LGBT+ prejudice on and off the field; Support footballers and those in the game in coming out; Fund educational programs in schools and colleges; Make grass-roots teams safe spaces for LGBT+ players; and to “Wind up a few gammon-headed Russian homophobes.”
AND ANOTHER! Russia have scored five. #RainbowRussians pic.twitter.com/UfFvdN2UUx
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) June 14, 2018
Said Darren Styles OBE, publisher of Attitude:
“When Paddy Power approached us with this idea we leapt at the chance. The LGBT+ community has a long history of reclaiming and adopting behaviours, words and styles that were intended to discriminate against us, so for this tournament we’re adopting Russia."
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“The World Cup is meant to be about inclusivity, but thanks to the hosts – and those who chose the hosts – this tournament (and the next, in Qatar) is taking place in a nation with laws that discriminate against the LGBT+ population.
“This is completely unacceptable and, therefore, we welcome the opportunity to benefit from Russia’s success and make unwitting allies of their national team. It will be hugely satisfying to see a goal from Russia send a message of equal love.”
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