http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23288762 "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 LA 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." His side had just signed former Leeds United winger and United States international Robbie Rogers, the first footballer with experience of playing professionally in England to come out since Justin Fashanu publicly revealed his sexuality in 1990. 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." But he does not believe the abuse stems from anti-gay sentiment: "For whatever reason, I don't think fans in England or fans in the UK are homophobic at all. They are just so passionate they will do anything to help their team get a little bit of an edge. "The things they will say in a stadium does not reflect their character. But they take it just a little bit overboard sometimes. I learned that while I was in England." Rogers left Leeds in January after he was released by mutual consent. But he believes if he had spoken out about his homosexuality during his time at Elland Road, the club's fans would have accepted him. "At the time I thought it wasn't possible," he said. "But looking back now I think the fans would have been so supportive of me. "Leeds fans are crazy, passionate people but I think they would have supported me. "They would have seen what I went through, and the struggles, and taken me under their wing. "In the changing room, maybe it would have been awkward in the first few days with guys not knowing what to say. But I think they would have been supportive and loving. "I think that goes for the whole club. I had a great time at Leeds. I don't think it would have been that big a problem." Rogers, who has won 18 international caps for the United States, remains one of only two current professional footballers in the world to have come out. Swede Anton Hysen, the son of former Liverpool defender Glenn, is the other. Yet despite his initial fears about returning to football, Rogers says the decision was the right one for him - and the game. "I was afraid just to go back to training. I was worried how I would be treated in the changing room and in stadiums," he said. "I had a lot of fear, but I missed football. I realised that I had an opportunity to play a sport I loved but also to really help people. "But people at Galaxy were amazing. The first day it was a little awkward with people walking on egg shells. "After the first few days I would say it was totally fine. I was treated the same as everyone else. Travelling with the team has been great and I've yet to hear anything homophobic. "But even if I do, I'm at a place in my life where I would feel more bad for them. I just don't care. "It's about the exposure, about being in locker rooms, in stadiums, and people realising it's not a big deal and they are just footballers. "I am the first gay footballer that's been out with LA Galaxy and for me to be doing the daily things like going to the training ground and travelling, that's where education comes and people realise it's not a big deal." Earlier this year, Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson backed calls for professional football clubs to do more to combat homophobia. And Rogers, who made nine appearances for Stevenage while on loan from Leeds last season, says that first step of having an openly gay player in the Premier League would help tackle homophobia in football. "That needs to happen in England. Guys need to just come out and continue to play. That's the only way forward to change," he said. "I think it's about gay players coming out. I'm not asking anyone to or pressuring anyone to, but I think it's going to take gay footballers to come out to help. "I have no idea when someone will do that. I hope soon." You can listen to the full interview with Robbie Rogers on BBC Radio 5 live from 10:00 BST on Monday with Victoria Derbyshire. I wouldn't have thought it would be such an issue, if a Liverpool player "came out" then I really wouldn't care or think it news worthy. Am in a minority? This fella seems to have had a hard time (pun) but would that kind of behaviour stop if more players were open about their sexuality?
HOMOPHOBIA.....I do not know whether to say ban them or let them do their own thing. "Marriage is the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others". That's English Law and common sense
Couldn't care less about any sportspersons' sexual orientation. In this day and age we should already be over such retrograde, prejudicial thinking. I wouldn't say that there's more of a problem with homophobia in football any more than I would say that there's more of a problem with sexism in the sport. These are issues of equality that need to be addressed across the board in a lot of sports. Rattle Snake, it's not necessarily about marriage but the freedom of individuals with particular feelings to be allowed to carry those feelings without fear of persecution and abuse.
I'm not sure it's anyone's business what sexual orientation a player is, I couldn't care less and have no desire to know or find out but whether we like it or not fans will pick on anything to chant about so any gay player needs to be strong enough mentally and emotionally to take this before even considering 'coming out'.
It shouldn't be an issue. A footballers job is to play football. Who he has sex with is not his employers or colleagues concern (unless its their wife/girlfriend/boyfriend). As for opposition fan abuse I think he's right: nobody is claiming the entire countries footballing fans are ageist because they sang granny shagger at Rooney. Why? Because it was recognized that it was simply abuse. The same should be made for any abuse thrown at an openly gay player. To raise him above in terms of protection or to start nit picking what abuse is acceptable is where we've already hit problems but then we're at the door the race issue has opened again. In the ridiculous notion that vile abuse can be pigeon holed into acceptable and unacceptable. That we say yelling black or gay bastard is wrong but Irish, fat or ginger bastard is ok. The only other alternative is to say no abuse at all but then you get the claim that you're taking the soul out of the game & grounds will be like churches.... So we'll continue this silly exercise of pigeon holing and tying ourselves in knots...
That's a very good point, anything that can be preyed on as a 'weakness' will be and an out gay player's 'gayness' will be exploited by the opposition to try and gain an advantage. This mentality is only amplified in a competitive scenario such as a football stadium.
Unless a gay player feels he has to hide an existing relationship, you'd have to question why he would want it known.
We've all heard the calls after a player goes down, after a challenge - things like "Get up, you ****!" - Generic throwaway homophobia, unthinkingly used. Yet most of those shouting it would probably never dream of yelling it anywhere else. Its a cultural issue that needs addressing, and is as bad in terms of the effect it has on people as throwing bananas and monkey chants did in the 70s.
I couldn't give a **** about the sexuality of any player. Yes some would get abuse but frankly I'd happily take the abuse for £40 grand a ruddy week. It isn't right but plenty of players take constant abuse every game they play and just get on with it. Stop being so bloody over-sensitive. Play the game and try and change the bigoted opinions instead of running away. Football would be a poorer game if the likes of Regis and Barnes had caved into the abuse they used to get. Thankfully they refused to let the morons drive them out.
Not really sure why this is making football headlines... I can't think of a single person (and same for majority of people on this board apparantly) who give a **** about the sexuality of the players. I feel as though because players don't come out as being gay, suddenly there's a big issue with homophobia in the sport; hows this for an idea - Why should players come out as gay? Why the **** would they want to share information like that about themselves? There are alot of problems in the sport, no doubt, racism, sexism, homophobia and whatever else, but it's not exclusive to the sport; it's (broad sweeping statement inc) a problem with culture, particularly the lower class and more poorly educated people. The issue isn't with homophobia in football, it's about predudices and discrimination in British culture.
You're right. But football being a spectator sport does have a tendency to attract those who feel safe when in a crowd to behave in a way alien to how they might in their everyday lives ie shouting abuse. I don't think any amount of education will stop this.
It's no different to what happens in a pub on a weekend, or in a playground at high school. I think education is a big part of it, but unfortunately, alot comes from the family too. Alot of the twats littering football stadia have children of their own who are brought up with the same predudices and discrimination. Short of shooting stupid people until they learn to keep their petty hatrid to themselves rather than infect those around them, laws just need to make examples of them. Bans and fines. Make clubs play behind closed doors. Speaking of fines, they need to be meaningful. I remember reading about Tevez getting a 3k fine last week
**** Robbie Rogers! Galaxy traded the leading scorer in MLS and a fan cult hero for a guy who hadn't played 6 months, who at his best is maybe half the player Mike Magee was. It is refreshing to see the amount of support Rogers gets from both sets of fans at game though. The cameras will pan through a bunch of the stadium and there will be multiple flags and banners in support of him even from opposing fans. Hopefully this will help rid sports and society of homophobia.
