From the Editor: Golec should go home.

The Justin Campaign

Has everyone missed the point? More than 'demeaning language' as club officials put it, Antony Golec tweeted homophobic vitriol after the A-League fixture between Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar on Saturday and must be hung out to dry by the FFA. This is the beautiful game. The encompassing 'we' in the We Are Football slogan includes all sections of the community regardless of sexuality, race, religion, culture.

In a tweet that has since been deleted, the Adelaide United player wrote "Ben Williams you are gay, biggest homo going around, you gypsy".

In Golec's written statement issued on Monday there was no mention of the homophobia riddled within this tweet. Instead an albeit apologetic Golec pointed out his tweets were not meant for public viewing, rather for his brother to read. Bluntly, that is nowhere near an excuse Antony.

Is football really as far behind on these issues as the other major sporting codes are? Several years ago Justin Fashanu, the first openly gay professional footballer, took his own life at age 37 after struggling with the pressures and prejudices he experienced as a gay black man in the harsh world of professional football. Despite 13 years having passed since, and despite The Justin Campaign's - the organisation that was spawned using Fashanu's name to help combat homophobia in the world game – best efforts, Golec's incident wasn't the only Twitter indiscretion last week.

In League Two of English football, Crawley Town FC midfielder Hope Akpan's morality was also found wanting, tweeting "Gays all over the tele what’s wrong with Britain! Sorry I’m #FullyHomophobic."

The response of The Justin Campaign to Hope Akpan's tweet, which was allegedly written by a younger family member and not Hope himself, is highly relevant in both situations.

"Homophobic comments, whether in football or not, are wrong.

"Even with the support of some clubs and footballing authorities, homophobia remains entrenched in football and it will take strong leadership for attitudes to change” a spokesperson stated.

Adelaide United have declared to Golec that any further transgressions will result in the termination of his contract. I would suggest that this is far too lenient a punishment, and that he should be made an example of. If it doesn't happen at club level it is well within Football Federation Australia's jurisdiction to do so under the banner of bringing the game into disrepute. Which in my opinion it has.

If you are not as incensed by Golec's homophobia, I suggest you have a watch of the video below and tell me if you think it is suitable at an A-League fixture in the game that you love. Should we put football on such a pedestal if this ignorance and discrimination is not swiftly and adequately dealt with?