"It’s not only our business to play football, it’s our business to make a difference in society, and that’s what our football club wants to do.” 

Those words came from Sydney Swans Human Resources Manager Scott Dalby at The Star Events Centre on Friday night, as he accepted an Australian LGBTI Award on behalf of the Sydney Swans.

 from a shortlist of 10 very worthy contenders including AIDS Action Council ACT, Headspace, Open Doors Youth Service, The Pinnacle Foundation, R U OK?, Rainbow Families, Safe Schools Coalition Australia, Stand Up Events and Transcend.

The Swans played Fremantle in the first ever AFL Pride Game in the pre-season of 2015 at Drummoyne Oval. The following year, the club joined St Kilda in playing an in-season Pride Game in Melbourne, then reciprocated hosting the match in 2017 – which marked the first Pride Game in Sydney for premiership points.

The match in 2017 was a celebration of diversity with the key focus on promoting inclusion. The crowd was a sea of rainbow flags, players ran out through a rainbow banner saying: “Everyone is Welcome”, while the club’s official LGBTI supporter group the Rainbow Swans were front and centre throughout.

In the week leading up to the Pride Game the Sydney Swans launched a Diversity Action Plan (DAP). Dalby was instrumental in the development of the DAP and made special mention of the DAP committee in accepting the Australian LGBTI Award.

“To Sam Mostyn, who is the chair of our Diversity Action Plan committee, who is an absolute leader in the space, to the support that we’ve had from our corporate partners, our executive and our Board, thank you very much,” Dalby said.

“I’ve got to acknowledge the work of the St Kilda Football Club as well, in terms of encouraging the AFL and encouraging what’s normally considered a section of society that’s not always the most closely aligned to LGBTI inclusion. I’m really proud of the work that football clubs can do to stand up." 

As part of the DAP the Sydney Swans have committed to continuing to celebrate the Pride Game, which will this year take place against St Kilda in Round 12 at Etihad Stadium.

Keep an eye out for the Sydney Swans float in the 2018 Mardi Gras Parade. The float’s theme is “everyone is welcome at the football”.