Rugby league-Manly players to boycott NRL match over pride jersey

MELBOURNE :Players from Australia's Manly Sea Eagles are planning to boycott a National Rugby League match rather than wear an "inclusiveness" jersey, triggering criticism from the club's first openly gay player.

Manly announced on Monday the team would wear the jersey featuring rainbow bands for their home match against Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval on Thursday.

Australian media reported up to seven players were opposed to wearing it on "religious and cultural" grounds and had elected to pull out of the Roosters game.

Sea Eagles owner and Chairman Scott Penn confirmed some players were put off by the jersey but said the team would wear it anyway.

"We're not going to force them to play, but we’re committed to the jersey and we’re committed to inclusion," Penn told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"We’re not walking away from our position. And we respect their beliefs.

"It's just disappointing we're here. We don’t want those players to be outcasts, but as a club we celebrate and support everyone."

Former Manly great Ian Roberts, the first professional rugby league player to come out as gay, said the players' opposition to the jersey was "sad and uncomfortable."

"I can promise you every young kid on the northern beaches (of Sydney) who is dealing with their sexuality would have heard about this," he told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.

NRL boss Peter V'landys said the league respected the players' position but hoped they would change their minds.

"It doesn’t matter who you are, we are treated equally," he said.

"We’re not going to back away from that, but at the same time we respect the players' position."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese endorsed Manly's decision to wear the jersey and said he hoped the standoff would be resolved.

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