Gay footballers

[Tangled up in Blue]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/share/1531208

Why gay footballers won't come out.It's all the fans fault apparently.Is it though?
Dátolo,Espanyol's(injured) Argentinian forward(who came out when he was playing for Naples)has never had any stick from Espanyol supporters for his sexuality(not that I've heard anyway).

 

[Uncle Leo]

One would hope there wouldn't be, but I fear that's more hope than expectation.

Gareth Thomas (ex-Wales RU, now playing League for Crusaders) got some terrible abuse from Castleford fans last year and the RFL quite rightly threw the book at Cas. I'm pleased to say that Thomas didn't get any such stick when he played Harlequins RL at The Stoop last month. I feel football still has a fair way to go - witness the 'bum boy' comments any time a Brighton fan comes on here. Hopefully that's just me being pessimistic.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I really don't believe that. I'd say it's more likely to be down to players peers & colleagues.

Racial intolerance by fans is pretty much a thing of the past and I'd say fans would be equally ambivalent about a players sexuality. Provided a player is performing to the best of his ability in the team most fans wouldn't give a flying one if he's sky blue pink or from Mars. Unless he's from W**t H*m then he's a ****.

 

[EastStandBlue]

I'd say the fans have a considerable amount of blame to shoulder. The abuse hurtled towards Sol Campbell is a start and the continual rumours that haunt specific players. It breeds an atmosphere that is carried into the dressing room, with players afraid to stick their neck on the line in support of a team mate incase they're "outed" too. I dare say the old school attitudes of some managers over the years hasn't helped either.

I actually think that it'll only take one player to come out and be supported in order for more to feel accepted. Of course, the FA would need to take a hard line with incidents of homophobia...

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

I'd say the fans have a considerable amount of blame to shoulder. The abuse hurtled towards Sol Campbell is a start and the continual rumours that haunt specific players. It breeds an atmosphere that is carried into the dressing room, with players afraid to stick their neck on the line in support of a team mate incase they're "outed" too. I dare say the old school attitudes of some managers over the years hasn't helped either.

I actually think that it'll only take one player to come out and be supported in order for more to feel accepted. Of course, the FA would need to take a hard line with incidents of homophobia...

That's racial abuse though,isn't it?(not that that's in any way acceptable either).
I remember seeing Sol play in a pre-season friendly for Spurs at Fulham some years ago and the stick he came in for from his own fans was unbelievable.He had a great game though which is always the best way to answer those sort of people.

 

[canveyshrimper]

I'd say the fans have a considerable amount of blame to shoulder. The abuse hurtled towards Sol Campbell is a start and the continual rumours that haunt specific players. It breeds an atmosphere that is carried into the dressing room, with players afraid to stick their neck on the line in support of a team mate incase they're "outed" too. I dare say the old school attitudes of some managers over the years hasn't helped either.

I actually think that it'll only take one player to come out and be supported in order for more to feel accepted. Of course, the FA would need to take a hard line with incidents of homophobia...

Fair point about Campbell, although a lot of that was from bitter Spurs fans. Bobby Moore always suffered at the hands of Scottish fans who had a whole book of songs concerning both his sexuality and alleged transvestism.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Fair point about Campbell, although a lot of that was from bitter Spurs fans. Bobby Moore always suffered at the hands of Scottish fans who had a whole book of songs concerning both his sexuality and alleged transvestism.

True, but it only takes one group of fans to start and others will carry on. Look at the Munich chant aimed at United, so callously ringing around Old Trafford at the moment.

 

[canveyshrimper]

True, but it only takes one group of fans to start and others will carry on. Look at the Munich chant aimed at United, so callously ringing around Old Trafford at the moment.

And that's true enough, the kick out racism campaign has worked well enough, and a similar campaign to kick out homophobia could/should work. You'll never be totally rid of bigots or racists but they will at least become a minority.

 

[EastStandBlue]

And that's true enough, the kick out racism campaign has worked well enough, and a similar campaign to kick out homophobia could/should work. You'll never be totally rid of bigots or racists but they will at least become a minority.

I think the Kick Out campaign has worked because there's a huge number of players involved in the game that don't fall under the 'White, British' marker and football's becoming an increasingly multicultural game. Until there's an openly homosexual footballer or two, there's no focal point for a campaign.

 

[Uncle Leo]

That's racial abuse though,isn't it?(not that that's in any way acceptable either).
I remember seeing Sol play in a pre-season friendly for Spurs at Fulham some years ago and the stick he came in for from his own fans was unbelievable.He had a great game though which is always the best way to answer those sort of people.

Campbell has no doubt received his share of stick for being black, but I believe most of the abuse he gets pertains to allegations of him being gay.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Campbell has no doubt received his share of stick for being black, but I believe most of the abuse he gets pertains to allegations of him being gay.

TFTI.Had no idea about that.

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

Would you say that fans would find it easier abusing the like's of Sol, and LeSaux (I seem to recall some allegations about him, though think that was mainly started by Robbie Fowler) for allegedly being gay than they would for abusing an openly out player?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Would you say that fans would find it easier abusing the like's of Sol, and LeSaux (I seem to recall some allegations about him, though think that was mainly started by Robbie Fowler) for allegedly being gay than they would for abusing an openly out player?

No idea.What do you think? I seem to remember that LeSaux also took some stick for being a self-confessed Guardian reader.:winking:

 

[EastStandBlue]

Would you say that fans would find it easier abusing the like's of Sol, and LeSaux (I seem to recall some allegations about him, though think that was mainly started by Robbie Fowler) for allegedly being gay than they would for abusing an openly out player?

The Le Saux rumours have always made me laugh. Didn't Fowler alledge that he must be gay because he read the Telegraph?

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

The Le Saux rumours have always made me laugh. Didn't Fowler alledge that he must be gay because he read the Telegraph?

No idea.What do you think? I seem to remember that LeSaux also took some stick for being a self-confessed Guardian reader.:winking:

Think you'll find I got the paper right.

 

[Pubey]

Think you'll find I got the paper right.

yeah, only gays read the Guardian though.:winking:

 

[EastStandBlue]

Think you'll find I got the paper right.

You would, Petal.

For what it's worth, there's quite a few cases of players being ostracised for their choice of newspaper. In "Why England Lose" they tell the tale of a promising footballer who was ridiculed and called a faggot for bringing a copy of the Daily Mail to a compulsory education session.

 

[Crabby Shrimper]

No idea.What do you think? I seem to remember that LeSaux also took some stick for being a self-confessed Guardian reader.:winking:

I'd say that in general people are more likely to call someone a poof if they're not than if they are. It's almost as if people want to abuse others, but have had it so drummed into them that they shouldn't abuse someone for being gay/black/Belgian that when the opportunity arises to mock someone with untrue allegations they revel in it.
I guess the feeling would be "it's wrong to cause offence, but if they're not gay then they shouldn't be offended"

I have no evidence to back this up, just putting this out there as a possibility

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

yeah, only gays read the Guardian though.:winking:

I hope we both know that isn't true.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Think you'll find I got the paper right.

You would, Petal.

For what it's worth, there's quite a few cases of players being ostracised for their choice of newspaper. In "Why England Lose" they tell the tale of a promising footballer who was ridiculed and called a faggot for bringing a copy of the Daily Mail to a compulsory education session.

I would think I got the paper right? :unsure:But I did.It wasThe Guardian.
btw I've read "Why England lose" too and vaguely remember that story.