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AAP
September 11, 2012, 12:09 pm
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has recorded a video endorsement for a bid to bring the "gay rugby world cup" to Australia in 2014.
The Bingham Cup was founded in 2002 to highlight the problem of homophobia in sport, including bullying and anti-gay slurs.
It was named after the gay man who helped wrestle flight UA 93 from terrorists during the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001.
Australia is home to the world's most successful gay rugby union team, The Sydney Convicts.
In her video for the Australian bid, Ms Gillard says she strongly endorse the Convicts' bid.
"Australia is a sports-loving nation which also has an abiding commitment to diversity and mutual respect," she says.
"In recent years, Sydney has hosted the gay games, the Olympics and the Rugby World Cup with a remarkable spirit of openness and celebration.
"I know that Bingham Cup participants would receive the same warm and generous welcome," the prime minister says.
The bid to host the cup in Sydney will be submitted this week, Sydney Convicts founder and cup bid committee chairman Andrew Purchas said on Tuesday.
He also welcomed support for the bid from the Wallabies and the Wallaroos along with NSW Governor Marie Bashir and Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
"It is very clear that homophobia is quite rampant in the footy codes and many of the Convicts players would not be playing rugby if it was not for the Convicts," Mr Purchas said.
He said more than 1500 players and over 35 teams compete for the Bingham Cup.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...world-cup-bid/
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