Rainbow Laces: Zanka's story

Football clubs and communities are stronger when everyone feels welcome, so the Premier League proudly stood alongside Stonewall in promoting equality and diversity with the 2018/19 Rainbow Laces campaign.

Rainbows in different forms were seen at all Premier League fixtures between 30 November and 5 December 2018, such as for captain's armbands and laces.

One player wearing the laces was Huddersfield Town and Denmark defender Zanka.

"I am involved with the Rainbow Laces campaign because I basically believe in equality for everyone," he says.

'Incredible platform as player'

"I hope it inspires people to get involved, to support the initiative and to accept and support the LGBT community." 

"As a football player you have an incredible platform to try to influence people in the right way. What we as players and the clubs and fans can do to get behind this campaign is to be aware about it and speak about it. 

"That's what sometimes we need in a very macho and stereotyped world."

Proud Terriers

Zanka received his rainbow lacesfrom former Huddersfield Town forward Andy Booth, the patron to Proud Terriers, the club's official LGBT supporters' group. 

"It is so important to have, not just a Premier League footballer, but an international footballer representing and being such a great ambassador for not just Proud Terriers, not just Huddersfield Town, but for all the Rainbow Laces campaign," Booth says.

"More footballers getting involved, like Zanka, means the world not just to football but everybody."

Zanka's motivation to wear the laces is the chance to help people who love football as much as anybody else but "have been excluded or had to hide their true self and personal identity".

"Football is for everyone and I believe that that's what I would wish for it was me," he says.

Also in this series

Part 1: Premier League's Rainbow Laces
Part 2: Rainbow Laces: Natasha's story
Part 3: Rainbow Laces: John's story
Part 5: Rainbow Laces: Callum's story