Anonymous Gay Footballer Says He Will Come Out Within Next Three Weeks
An anonymous twitter user claiming to be “a professional footballer, currently playing in the Championship” has said they will reveal their identity in the coming weeks.
“Whilst no exact date has been finalised, I am looking at going public prior to the start of the new season,” he said in a posted statement.
The footballer said he had met with his club to discuss coming out and had been “delighted by how receptive they are to the issue.”
“The club have instinctively viewed the issue in human terms, their support has focused on that first and foremost. Any pre-existing concerns I had in this regard have been alleviated as a result of the support that has been evident.”
If true, this would make him the first openly gay active British footballer.
Regardless of the twitter account’s legitimacy, gay rugby player Nigel Owens, who came out ten years ago, had some advice for the footballer: “Rugby is an inclusive sport, people have come out and been able to get on with their careers like myself.
“Everybody is now waiting to see what happens in football and that probably is hindering the individual from coming out.
“Everybody, particularly the tabloids, Press and media are all waiting to see how the footballing world is going to react to this person, whoever it may be.
“Put all that into context and for this individual he knows when he announces his name, whichever way he’s going to do it this week, every social media platform, every radio and television station, every tabloid and newspaper, possibly the front and back pages, is going to run the story who he is.
“Particularly if he is a very well-known footballer as well.
“For you to be that person, the first one to dip your toe in the water in the footballing world is going to bring a lot of media attention and a lot of pressure on you.
“You have to be a certain type of person to cope with that as well.”
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