
Sport
Share
Published 13:09 14 Dec 2020 GMT
Explore more on these topics:
In the image below, Liverpool's British and Brazilian accounts can be seen supporting the campaign, while their Arabic and Indonesian accounts can be seen not displaying the same imagery.
Tottenham Hotspur are also among the clubs to show inconsistencies in their support for the campaign across various social accounts.
Speaking to The Athletic, Middle Eastern football journalist Wael Jabil, who runs a digital content agency which manages various Arabic language social media accounts, said: “It’s a bit of a tricky one. At the end of the day, you will probably get very little positive response if you post (pro-LGBT rights) content on Arabic accounts.”
The Athletic wrote that while it may seem cowardly from the clubs, "clubs take the view that it may do the cause more harm than good" to post something that will get an overwhelmingly negative response and become a lightning bolt for bigotry.
This sort of social media strategy is not exclusively implemented when it comes to the rainbow laces campaign, though. Clubs apply the same logic to Remembrance Sunday, and often avoid using the poppy for club accounts based in the Middle East.
The UK is not a haven of LGBT acceptance, though, and negative responses to the rainbow laces campaign are not exclusive to other parts of the world.
West Ham United, among other clubs, have posted comments on their own posts in support of the campaign, clarifying that "our club is a supportive, inclusive organisation that stands against inequality, racism and any form of discrimination. We will not tolerate inflammatory or hurtful comments on our page."
World Cup 2026 prize money: The staggering amount the winners can earn revealed
If it’s coming home, here’s how much England will get Football fans need to gear up and stay up-to-date with the World Cup, as there are just a few days remaining for the much-awaited tournament. The World Cup this year is set to begin on June 11, 2026, and will be hosted across the USA, […]
Sport
14h
The best England and Scotland shirts to buy before World Cup 2026 kicks off
Get ready for the World Cup 2026 The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on 11 June and this is where you can buy the official – and unofficial – shirts for England, Scotland and more. Scotland’s first match will take place at 1am on 14 June, while England kick off their World Cup campaign […]
Sport
14h
Quiz: Can you name every Brazilian player to play for Manchester United
Sport