Adelaide United footballer Josh Cavallo has come out as gay in a statement on social media, becoming the first known current male player to do so at any top-flight club in the world.
The A-League left-back featured in a video posted on Adelaide’s official Twitter account, announcing: “There’s something personal that I need to share with everyone. I am a footballer and I am gay.”
Cavallo released a separate post in which he wrote that he had been “fighting my sexuality for six years now.” He added that he “couldn’t be happier with my decision to come out”.
Stonewall FC, Britain’s top-ranking LGBTQ+ football team, told i that while there was “much more to be done so that others like Josh can be open and free to be themselves,” his story is “a sign of the progress that has been made across the game” and hailed his “amazing bravery”.
A club spokesperson also suggested that “the outpouring of support that has been shown from across the game… would be broadly reflected if this were to happen here in the UK”.
There are currently no openly gay male footballers in the professional game in England.
Jahmal Howlett-Mundle, a defender for non-league club Sheppey United, came out to his team-mates earlier this year. “It’s amazing for Josh first and foremost because I understand from experience how difficult it would have been for him,” Howlett-Mundle told i. “If you don’t see something, you don’t know that it can happen. Using Josh as an example, he’s an Australian footballer and that’s a million miles away from the UK but seeing the amount of support he’s got from across the world, it’s really important. Credit to him.
“It’s a sport unfortunately where not many people are out. I’m sure there are many bisexual and gay players in the game and I understand completely why people may not be comfortable [coming out]. So for myself it was more a case of ‘can I get myself to the point where I’m happy being open about who I am?’
“I still have anxiety in terms of ‘what if something goes wrong, what if there’s a comment made towards my sexuality that I’m going to find offensive?’ Very soon after coming out, there was an incident in a game where I had a homophobic comment directed towards myself and that’s still under investigation. But what’s important is I know I have the backing of my team-mates and they’ve been great.
“It’s just a sport, it’s 22 people kicking a ball around, with some tactics – and why should it matter what your sexuality is?”
Rio Ferdinand recently revealed to a joint committee of MPs and peers that he had previously encouraged a player he knew wanted to come out, but had been warned against it by lawyers.
“I initially said ‘you need to come out and speak your truth and be proud of who you are’,” Ferdinand said. “The reason why the lawyer advised him not to come out is because every individual is very different and you can’t use a blanket approach.
“[The lawyer] advised him based on his experience with that individual, and he didn’t think that he was strong enough mentally at that time, and have the right pieces in place to be able to withstand the media attention and the spotlight.”
Gerard Pique was one of the first high-profile players to congratulate Cavallo.
“I don’t have the pleasure to know you personally but I want to thank you for this step,” Pique tweeted. “The world of football is far behind and you are helping us move forward.”
Ferdinand added that Cavallo’s decision was “strength and bravery personified”, while Raphael Varane tweeted: “This must have taken much courage, Josh. You have my full support!”
“Growing up I always felt the need to hide myself because I was ashamed – ashamed I would never be able to do what I loved and be gay,” Cavallo said. “Growing up being gay and playing football were just two worlds that hadn’t crossed paths before.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3EpZGSC
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