Matildas star Alex Chidiac on the launch of Go Bubble and the impact of a united Pride Round

Melbourne Victory star Alex Chidiac says despite the Go Bubble initiative and the impact of a united Pride Round, there is still a long way to go in the fight against the ‘horrific amount’ of abuse.

Alex Chidiac doesn’t often see them, or have any idea how many hate-filled comments a special filter app on her phone collects and sends into cyberspace daily but she knows the comments are there and that is why the A-Leagues’ Pride Round is so important.

The app, Go Bubble, is an initiative of the Professional Footballers’ Australia, and Chidiac said it protected players from receiving vile comments into their inboxes and blocked them from appearing in their social feeds.

But occasionally one sneaks through.

In January Chidiac took to social media to call out a hateful homophobic comment, which this masthead has chosen not to publish.

“That was the first one I’d seen directed at me,” Chidiac said.

Alex Chidiac of the Victory opens up on the impact of Pride Round. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

“I was taken aback a little bit, I don’t know how this one slipped through the cracks but I do know it is unfortunately something that happens.

“People want to take their anger out, they see you as different to them and think that you’re inferior to them and they’ll call it out where it really hurts.

“I’ve had teammates, some that are still playing in the A-Leagues, that cop this kind of abuse all the time.

“I think it is important to call it out and show that it is not okay.

“We should be treating people with kindness in general and they wouldn’t like it directed at them. I don’t know why it needs to be a thing but people still do it and we all have a role to play in calling it out.”

Chidiac, 26, said when she first started playing professional football it was a very inclusive space thanks to those that had gone before her.

Chidiac took to social media to call out the horrible homophobic message sent to her inbox. This masthead has chosen not to reveal the message. Picture: IG/alexchidiac10

“Coming through when I did it was something that was already prevalent in the women’s space, it was quite normalised,” Chidiac said.

“It wasn’t taboo anymore, it was really easy to just be comfortable and I knew that no matter what I would be accepted in this space.”

But it isn’t the same in the men’s leagues.

Adelaide United defender Josh Cavallo, Australia’s first openly gay male professional footballer, revealed in a podcast last week that he receives death threats daily.

Chidiac said she wasn’t surprised by that at all.

“There is a way to go in the men’s game, we need to keep having the conversation for guys like Josh out there, because there are so many more,” Chidiac said.

Representation matters. Football should be a safe and inclusive place for everyone and I’m so proud the @aleaguewomen and @AdelaideUnited could be that for Grace and those that follow 🤍 https://t.co/e3WpL2scmD

— Alex Chidiac (@alexchidiac10) March 1, 2024

“I’m sure Josh doesn’t call out (all the comments) he gets, I’m sure there would be a horrific amount of them.”

The midfielder said that was why Pride Round was such an important part of the A-Leagues’ calendar.

A-League’s were the first league in the world to hold simultaneous men’s and women’s Pride Celebrations, with this year the third.

As part of the celebration which has a huge focus on inclusivity and a partnership between the APL, PFA and Pride Cup – players and staff take part in a series of training programs.

It;s the third edition of the simultaneous men’s and women’s Pride Round. Picture: Ayush Kumar/Getty Images

And each year Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United’s men’s and women’s teams face off for the Pride Cup.

“This is an ongoing conversation that we have to tackle, because I think sometimes people maybe don’t listen to the message that we are trying to get across.

“Ultimately for me it just stands for inclusion.

“We have such a diverse range of people here in Australia, so many different cultures and religions and I think Pride Round can just be used as something that unifies everybody to come into the sport and know that no matter what you are safe here.

“You do belong, it doesn’t matter what your background is, you can pick up a ball and play.”

Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United’s women’s teams will play at AAMI Park at 4.50pm on Saturday followed by the men’s teams at 7.35pm.

Originally published as Matildas star Alex Chidiac on the launch of Go Bubble and the impact of a united Pride Round