“There are currently no openly gay players in the English professional game”
In an article today the BBC interviewed former player Graeme Le Saux, the ex-Chelsea, Blackburn and Southampton defender who frankly talked of his years of abuse based on unfounded claims of homosexuality.
He felt it rightfully necessary to point out that it was not important whether or not he was homosexual, but that there was no room for abuse based on any perceived difference. No one would abuse someone in their workplace for being homosexual, so why should soccer be any different?
The piece ended with the line “There are currently no openly gay players in the English professional game”.
Now is this a statement about sport in general or just soccer? I struggle to think of any sportsmen in a team game openly admitting to being homosexual. There is a fear about it.
The only openly gay professional within a team sport I can think of is former Wales and British and Irish Lions rugby captain, Gareth Thomas. He is well known over the pond and has been heralded for his bravery in the UK. So much so, in fact, that Mickey Rourke is in the process of trying to create a biopic movie made about the 37-year-old Welshman.
Could being gay ever be openly accepted in sports? Is homophobia too strong? Is Le Saux right, is soccer behind the times and ignorant in this affair? Thomas may tend to agree…
