International football’s governing body, FIFA, has begun gathering evidence as part of an investigation into alleged homophobic remarks and policies at the 2011 Women’s World Cup.

Nigerian Football Coach Eucharia Uche reportedly sacked lesbian players from the team and called homosexuality “dirty” and “spiritually and morally very wrong”.

FIFA’s Secretary General Jérôme Valcke has written to international gay rights pressure group AllOut.org to announce the start of the investigation.

AllOut.org and the Federation of Gay Games and the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA) launched a campaign in July urging FIFA to take action. A flashmob also took place before the semifinal to draw attention to the campaign.

“More than 46,000 AllOut.org members called on FIFA to give homophobia the red card within the international football league,” said Andre Banks, co-founder of AllOut.org.

“Today, we are excited to see FIFA take a first, critical step in that direction. By launching an immediate probe into Coach Uche’s homophobic statements, the international governing body of soccer is sending a clear and important message: homophobia has no place in football, on or off the field.”

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