LGBT News Professional footballer (soccer) to come out?

The fact that it's a Twitter rumour and the Sunday tabloid that has it (my money's on the Sun) hasn't been shouting from the rooftops about their scoop makes me incredibly sceptical.

 

I'd heard about how closeted professional football/soccer was, just like American football and basketball (although they both now have an astounding ONE OPENLY GAY PLAYER). There was a TV segment about, I don't remember what news station, which also pointed out that professional sports are less open than the U.S. military. It would be great if more professionals could come out and encourage young athletes and anyone fearing discrimination to come out.

I haven't seen any of the rumors, probably in part because I'm on a different continent, so I guess we won't know until Sunday.

 

Justin Fashanu was actually the first and only UK player to be out while playing. Think the only other footballer to come out while playing is an american called Robbie Rodgers.

Interesting, but like many tweets I've read today: it shouldn't be news.

 

Thomas Hitzlsperger was another, but he retired due to injury and then came out.

Here's the starting XI plus the subs from the Denmark game (the one that was played on Wednesday) if anyone's interested -

Players with names in brackets next to their names indicates they were subbed and who they were replaced with (in case anyone's wondering). As far as I'm aware all of the players play in the English Premiership or Championship with the exception of Fraser Forster who plays in Scotland and Jermaine Defoe who plays in Canada.

EDIT: I'd hope that if this is true that he doesn't end up like Justin Fashanu did. What happened to him is still a stain against football, certainly in this country. I'd like to think that the game has moved on to the point where a gay player would be able to carry on with the full support of players, clubs, supporters and governing bodies.

Certainly a lot of clubs and players are taking a stand against entrenched homophobia (see Cagliari in Serie A and Joey Barton), but I do wonder if supporters are going to decide that if a gay player isn't delivering on the pitch that gives them a green light to start throwing "FAGGOT!" their way. I mean we've not even managed to eliminate racism and sectarianism from the terraces yet and the response from certain bodies to those problems has been anaemic at best, so I do wonder if there is homophobia at European and International level if UEFA/FIFA are going to take a proper "we ain't tolerating this crap!" stance.

 

The only thing I can say about that is that guys at my school who play football (American football) act REALLY gay in the showers. I'm surprised that the majority of them are not gay!

 

Cashley Cole (ask an Arsenal fan) & Luke Shaw have denied it's them and the Sun have denied they've got the story (if it exists) - Ashley Cole and Luke Shaw rise to the bait to deny they are the rumoured 'gay England footballer' - Premier League - Football - The Independent -

Front pages of tomorrow's papers should be out and about by 10pmish so I guess we'll know in a few hours.

 

It will be great if it is true but, the rumour was started by a freelance journalist not an actual Sun on Sunday hack. What I found interesting was the fact Luke Shaw deleted his 'message' an hour after posting it. Why? For me the fact they are denying the rumours gives more support for them being true.

 

I think they should~ the more who come out then the less homophobia there will be!! I really respect celebrity who come out ^o^