Homophobia in European football?

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Homophobia in European football?

Postby mikesiva » Thu Jan 09, 2014 9:22 am

'Thomas Hitzlsperger says there is "a long way to go" before there will be an openly gay man playing in a top league. The ex-Aston Villa midfielder, 31, who retired because of injury in September, revealed his sexuality on Wednesday. "We still have a long way to go because we fear a reaction and we don't know what will happen," Hitzlsperger, who won 52 caps for Germany, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "I can't imagine playing football and doing this at the same time." Hitzlsperger, who also had spells at West Ham and Everton, admitted he thought about coming out while he was still playing. But he decided against doing so because he felt the resulting scrutiny on him might have proved too much of a distraction from on-pitch matters. "Towards the end of my career, I was pretty sure I was gay, that I wanted to be with a man and live with a man," Hitzlsperger said. "About two years ago, I was almost at the same point where I wanted to speak out. I've never been ashamed of it and towards the end I thought about it. But I thought I still I wanted to be a football player more than I wanted issues of talking about my private life. Anything that was distracting me from football, I put it to one side. Certainly dealing with this issue takes a lot of time and energy so I thought: 'I don't really want to deal with it.'" In other sports, high-profile athletes have openly spoken about their sexuality, with Olympic diver Tom Daley revealing in December he was in a relationship with a man. However, examples in football are less common. In 1990, former England Under-21 international Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to come out as gay. He retired from football in 1997 and took his own life a year later, aged 37.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25661228

"I'm sure there are a lot of players over the years who have played in England, or wherever, and are too frightened to come out." When Robbie Keane spoke to the New York Times in May, the Los Angeles Galaxy captain went on to explain where he believed that fear came from: "Maybe the fans are a bit more brutal in England than they would be here."...Fashanu's announcement contributed to his personal and professional demise, such was the homophobia he encountered. It was not a path Rogers, revealing his sexuality on his website 23 years later, wanted to go down. He promptly quit the game, saying remaining in football after publicly declaring your homosexuality was "impossible", before reversing his decision and joining Galaxy three months later. Rogers, 26, admits he was not prepared to become a role model - he wanted to concentrate on football and not have to deal with the abuse he considered would be inevitable. And it is that abuse that he, like Keane, who played for numerous big clubs in England and Scotland before moving to America, believes is preventing others from coming out. "It's a little bit sad," Rogers told BBC Radio 5 live's Victoria Derbyshire. "Fans need to realise that what you're saying to players, especially when you are on that level…. you need to think it through before you start yelling at players."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23288762

'The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday night that the former player Michael Johnson has stepped down from its Inclusion Advisory Board, aimed at promoting equality in the game, after he previously described homosexuality as "detestable". As revealed by the Guardian last week, Johnson said in a television debate in 2012 during the BBC's The Big Questions programme: "Because of my beliefs, because of the Bible that I read, in the Bible it does state that homosexuality is detestable unto the Lord." Johnson, who played for Birmingham, Derby and Notts County, stated last Thursday that his opinions on homosexuality had changed. Heather Rabbatts, the FA board member and chair of the IAB, claimed that Johnson still had a part to play on the board because "through his own personal journey he has a huge amount to offer".'

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... sary-board
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby Alviro Patterson » Thu Jan 09, 2014 7:06 pm

Too much emphasis on players coming out, an agenda whipped up by self-serving groups and a 24/7 media who both thrive on anything remotely negative.

Maybe there is a lack of footballers coming out is because they are so focused on having the best career possible, rather than the actual fears of homophobia?

Robbie Rogers announced his "retirement" at the same time as coming out, maybe because he didn't forge a successful footballing career outside of Europe. No 1st team appearances for Herenveen, four for Leeds United and six at a loan spell at Stevenage suggests that is the case.
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby sussexpob » Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:03 pm

I think in most places in Europe we are advanced enough to accept people as gay if they are.... this idea that people cannot come out about their sexuality, for me, is not a problem with the game or society, it is a problem with those involved and their own insecurities. People might be idiotic and say homophobic things, but I think there are powers to punish those that do already.
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby mikesiva » Sun Mar 02, 2014 12:01 pm

In today's Sunday Times, this is what Sol Campbell has to say on the issue....

"Because they didn't see me falling out of clubs or shagging in the alleys with different girls every week they thought something must be wrong with me."

He suggests that disgruntled team-mates started spreading the rumours after he left Tottenham for Arsenal, and in 2009 a man and a 14-year old boy were convicted of shouting homophobic chants at Campbell.

I think this case highlights the fact that homophobia is still a problem that needs to be addressed in English football....
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby mikesiva » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:42 am

Quite a timely programme....

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/

Homophobic chants at Brighton fans, racist chants at black players, i.e. Everton fans against Sturridge, anti-Semitic chants against Tottenham fans, anti-Asian chants at Leicester supporters....

It was quite horrific!
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby Alviro Patterson » Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:55 am

mikesiva wrote:In today's Sunday Times, this is what Sol Campbell has to say on the issue....

"Because they didn't see me falling out of clubs or shagging in the alleys with different girls every week they thought something must be wrong with me."

He suggests that disgruntled team-mates started spreading the rumours after he left Tottenham for Arsenal, and in 2009 a man and a 14-year old boy were convicted of shouting homophobic chants at Campbell.

I think this case highlights the fact that homophobia is still a problem that needs to be addressed in English football....


Thats an issue within society as well as football, particularly in the sexualised modern world. Not saying it's condonable like but it's harsh to tar football of it's blemishes.
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby sussexpob » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:02 pm

Bayern Munich are in trouble for the unveiling of a banner showing Mezut Ozil (great drawing) about to take a cannonball up his arse...
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby budgetmeansbudget » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:39 pm

sussexpob wrote:Bayern Munich are in trouble for the unveiling of a banner showing Mezut Ozil (great drawing) about to take a cannonball up his arse...

A bit of gogglyeyeism involved as well by the looks of it.
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby sussexpob » Wed Mar 12, 2014 1:40 pm

budgetmeansbudget wrote:
sussexpob wrote:Bayern Munich are in trouble for the unveiling of a banner showing Mezut Ozil (great drawing) about to take a cannonball up his arse...

A bit of gogglyeyeism involved as well by the looks of it.


I think that is in reference to his slightly weird facial structure
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Re: Homophobia in European football?

Postby andy » Thu Mar 27, 2014 7:31 pm

Bayern will have their stadium partically closed against United, as punishment.
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