LGBTQ+ group 'extremely disappointed' after Fife Flyers fail to wear Pride jerseys 'to respect player beliefs'

An LGBTQ+ group has hit out at a Fife ice hockey team, who ditched special rainbow jerseys at the last minute for its annual Pride match to ‘respect player beliefs’.

The Hive Kirkcaldy, a community hub which describes itself as a safe and affirmative place for all, was left shocked after turning up to the annual Fife Flyers event on Saturday evening to find players would not be wearing special jerseys as usual.

The special ice hockey attire features a gradient rainbow on the front and back, with the wings of the Fife Flyers logo also coloured in rainbow tones.

Prior to the match, the team – who faced Guildford Flames at Fife Ice Arena – decided to only wear the tops during their warm-up session, before changing into standard Fife Flyers home jerseys for the game.

In a post on Facebook, Fife Flyers said the decision was made to “allow us to support Pride Night while also respecting the diversity of backgrounds and personal beliefs within our playing group”.

The team added a post-game auction of one of the Pride jerseys would still be auctioned off in aid of The Hive.

However, The Hive were not notified of the change, and were advised it was a “last-minute decision” made by the club.

In a statement on Facebook, The Hive said: “In light of this The Hive have refused to accept any money, strip or donations from the club and left the match immediately. We will be writing to them regarding this. The Hive will always standup for LGBTQIA+ rights and we will not be silenced.”

The Hive later said it stood by its decision to refuse donations and thanked members of the public for their support, adding: “As a grassroots organisation, we remain committed to building and nurturing authentic relationships within our local community.”

‘Truly sorry’

Following backlash on social media, Fife Flyers issued an updated statement on Sunday, acknowledging “hurt and disappointment” felt by fans over the decision.

It read: “We want to acknowledge the hurt and disappointment many in our community felt due to our decisions on Pride Night.

“We are truly sorry for the impact this had and understand why it has caused upset amongst the community.

“The Fife Flyers are committed to inclusion and aim to be a welcoming club for the LGBTQ+ community and for everyone who supports our team.

“We will reflect on this, continue listening, and work to ensure our values are better reflected in how we move forward.”

Controversy

It is the latest issue to hit the Fife ice hockey club following the controversial decision to sign ex-Boston Bruins star Milan Lucic, who had previously faced domestic violence charges which were later dropped.

The decision to sign Lucic came as chief operating officer Gareth Chalmers and media consultant Craig Anderson both resigned over the direction being pursued by the club.