Sydney Swans urged to end association with Qatar Airways
The Sydney Swans host a Pride match this weekend and also have a commercial partner backed by a regime that makes it illegal to be homosexual.
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The official LGBTI supporter group of the Sydney Swans wants the club to part ways with airline sponsor Qatar Airways because of that country’s stance on homosexuality.
Respected commentator Corbin Middlemas, who will call this Saturday’s Pride match against St Kilda for the ABC, has accused the Swans of hypocrisy in putting the corporate dollar ahead of their social conscience in a podcast where he opened up about his life as a gay man in sport.
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The Rainbow Swans supporter group has told The Daily Telegraph that while Sydney are genuine and active supporters of their community, they too wish the association did not exist.
According to the Swans website, Sydney’s partnership with Qatar Airways — a State-owned airline — is due to expire at the end of this season and Rainbow Swans Chair Sarina Jackson hopes the club will consider an alternative airline partner, given homosexuality in Qatar considered a criminal offence.
Jackson praised the Swans for never letting the sponsorship impact on the club’s support of initiatives like the Pride game, but says the supporter group has expressed to the club their uneasiness over the relationship and a desire for it to change.
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“Obviously we raised it as an issue with the club once it was announced (back in 2016). Our members obviously didn’t like the decision that was made by the club and so we voiced that,” Jackson told The Daily Telegraph.
“If there was (other) sponsors knocking down doors … I would love for it to not be an issue. I would love for them to find a different airline sponsor.
“I don’t and can’t get involved in their commercial arrangements but if we were advised that sponsorship was not continuing I think that would be a pleasing outcome … no one would be upset from our organisation.”
The Sydney Swans are adamant that no sponsor would ever dictate to their values as a club, and the Rainbow Swans have verified that has been their experience.
“There’s no question about that. They were the first professional organisation to march in mardi gras and Qatar were sponsors then,” said Jackson.
“The Pride flag is above the SCG all the time.”
Middlemas, who came out as being gay last year in a moving story on the ABC website, said he feels uncomfortable about Qatar Airways sponsorship signs decorating the SCG, when the club purports to be Pride ambassadors.
“Sydney do a lot of great things to bring awareness to societal issues and for social change but the one thing that does make me uncomfortable going to the game is … there are rainbow flags around the place and the players are wearing rainbow numbers, yet on the advertising hoardings all around the ground is Qatar Airways just being splashed around,” he said in a powerful appearance on the AFL’s In the Game podcast.
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“The Swans regularly send players over on their beautiful airlines to take photos and publicity and they’re obviously a huge financial backer of the club. It’s illegal to be gay in Qatar … and I struggle with the hypocrisy of that (association).
“It’s almost like, ‘yes, we’re a big supporter of this cause and we believe in it, but we believe in the dollars a little bit more for example.”
Middlemas pointed to an example of Nick Marvin ex-general manager of the Perth Wildcats cutting ties with a major betting partner as proof administrators can take strong stances for causes they believe in.