Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy has sent a goodwill message to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community of the club to appease them for breaking the rainbow corner flag.
On Sunday, November 6, 2020, Leicester City played against Sheffield United at the Bramall Lane Stadium. The Premier League match was on the verge of ending 1-1 before the 33-year-old English striker stunned the host by scoring the winning goal in the 90th minute.
Jamie Vardy was so excited for the last-minute goal that he decided to celebrate the match-winning goal at the corner of the opposition half. He slid into the rainbow corner flag and broke it.
The picture of the incident went viral on social media and generated a bit of controversy because people used the incident to attack the LGBT community saying Jamie Vardy broke the rainbow corner flag to pass a message that he was against the movement.
The rainbow corner flag is used to mark the annual Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign which is a way the Premier League shows solidarity with the LGBT movement. Hence, it became a big deal that Jamie Vardy had to break the flag which those opposing the LGBT movement believe was a way to agitate against the Rainbow Laces campaign.
Contrary to the speculation that Vardy was against the movement, the former Sheffield Wednesday star wrote a goodwill message on the broken corner flag and sent it to Leicester City’s LGBT+fans group represented by Leicester City‘s supporter’s club “FOXES PRIDE”.
In the goodwill message written on the corner flag retrieved from Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane Stadium, Jamie Vardy wrote: “FOXES PRIDE – keep up the good work!”
The supporters’ club shared the pictures of the broken rainbow corner flag to admit that they have accepted Jamie Vardy’s goodwill message. The group also noted how the LGBT community was subjected to unhealthy comments since Vardy broke the rainbow corner flag.
“All at Foxes Pride have been saddened by LGBT-phobic comments online over the last few days after Vardy’s corner flag goal celebration,” the group tweeted.
“We are proud and grateful for the support that Vardy and Leicester City FC continue to show for Rainbow Laces, LGBT fans, and Foxes Pride.”
How it started. How it’s going. pic.twitter.com/D7GImCD4om
— Foxes Pride 🦊🏳️🌈 (@FoxesPride) December 8, 2020
We will continue to work together to ensure that football is a safe place for all. The comments of the last few days just demonstrate how important that is.
— Foxes Pride 🦊🏳️🌈 (@FoxesPride) December 8, 2020
💙🦊🏳️🌈
