A leading German footballer has urged gay players to come out

[FourScore]

Germany and Bayern star Mario Gomez urges gay footballers (soccer players)to go public
Kate Connolly in Berlin
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 11 November 2010 18.30 GMT

Striker breaks ranks with German football federation, who had warned that coming out could destroy a player's career


Mario Gomez of Bayern Munich and Germany Mario Gomez (left), seen here celebrating with Bayern Munich team-mates Andreas Ottl and Bastian Schweinsteiger, told Bunte magazine: 'Being gay should no longer be a taboo topic'.

A leading German footballer has urged gay players to come out and called for a radical rethink about homosexuality in the sport.

The Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez has broken ranks with the football establishment, including members of his own team and the German football federation, who have warned that coming out could destroy a player's career.

But Gomez, who has not said whether he is gay, told a German magazine that being honest about their sexuality would improve gay players' performance.

"They would play as if they had been liberated," Gomez said. "Being gay should no longer be a taboo topic."

The 25-year-old, who was voted German footballer of the year in 2006-7, added that there were plenty of role models in the rest of German society to give gay players the courage to come out. "We've got a gay vice-chancellor ; the Berlin mayor is gay. So professional footballers should own up to their preference," he said.

There are no openly gay players in Germany's Bundesliga, reflecting the situation across the football world, although it is estimated that about 10% of players are gay.

The only German footballer to have come out is Marcus Urban, who told his teammates in 1997 and promptly ended his professional career. The 39-year-old waited until 2007 before going public with his story, saying he had hoped to encourage other gay players and trainers to come out and thus contribute to more acceptance and tolerance in football.

Gomez is the first leading player to urge his homosexual colleagues to go public. Others have been vehemently against such a move, saying it would harm a footballer's career...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/nov/11/germany-bayern-mario-gomez-gay-footballers

[terrya]

1. Allow me to be the first to recommend this.

I was reading this story at another website. Thanks for posting it here.

[ThomCat]

2. Very weird to urge this, but not disclose his own sexuality.

If he is hetero, say so and say that you're a firm ally. We get it and appreciate the support.

If he is gay or bi, he's the first in his own campaign, and leading the way. He can't expect others to do something he doesn't have the courage to do himself.

:shrug:

[FourScore]

3. Read the article. n./t

[ThomCat]

4. Um, I did.

"But Gomez, who has not said whether he is gay, told a German magazine that being honest about their sexuality would improve gay players' performance."

Am I missing something? :shrug:

He isn't outing himself. He's urging others to out themselves, apparently in response to the death of another athlete who died of suicide because of depression.

[FourScore]

5. Ha! Ha! Ha! Maybe I should read the article next time!!!

Somehow I completely missed that line.

:blush:

[ThomCat]

6. No harm, no foul. :)

:hi:

[EFerrari]

7. I was hoping we'd hear something in this regard from Lincecum,

the World Series winning pitcher for the Giants since he was gay baited in Philly post-season. But imho, it's even less likely to happen here than in Germany right now and that's a shame.

[Renew Deal]

8. I can't think of one openly gay active player in any sport

Though I'm sure they're out there.

Schweinsteiger is a great player.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

9. I'm not at all sure this is good advice, to be honest.

I'm far from an expert, but my understanding is that professional football in Germany is extremely homophobic and coming out might well be tantamount to ending your career.