Rugby league first sporting code to have a float in Sydney's LGBT Mardi Gras

On Saturday, Australia's National Rugby League became the country's first professional sporting code to have a float in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.

The NRL participated in the annual LGBT rights celebration in 2015, it said in a statement, but decided to come back in 2016 with a vengeance. The Mardi Gras has been contacted to confirm the claim.

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The float was a tribute to singer and gay icon Tina Turner -- and one time NRL theme song-singer -- with the tagline 'GAYME ON – Pride In League.'

"We want everyone to feel that they can be themselves, no matter what their background or choice," Paul Langmack, a former premiership winning NRL player, said in the statement. "We are not here to pressure anyone to reveal their sexuality; that is entirely their choice. But we want people to know that as a game, we support and stand by our mates, no matter what their sexual orientation is."

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Former player Wendell Sailor was also on the float, along with retired and current players including Mario Fenech, Dan Hunt, Ruan Sims, Nigel Vagana, Dean Widders and Jason King, among others.

The NRL, once known as a particularly conservative sporting code, has taken a number of steps toward supporting LGBT players and the community over the past few years. Alongside investing in a number of anti-homophobia initiatives, in July 2015 the NRL voiced its support for marriage equality in Australia.

"One of the NRL’s core values is inclusiveness and we have put in place practices and policies to support and recognise the rights of our LGBTI community. Accordingly, the NRL supports marriage equality," Suzanne Young, former NRL chief operating officer, said in a statement at the time.

Australia does not yet allow same-sex marriage. Although polls show a majority of the country support the cause, the current conservative government has said it wants to hold a plebiscite on the issue--a non-binding general vote by the public-- before members of parliament vote to change the law.

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