Former England defender Graeme Le Saux says attitudes towards homosexuality in football may have changed, but there are still a few obstacles to overcome.
Earlier this week, we learned that as many as 8% of football fans would stop watching their team if they found out one of their players was gay.
The responses to that figure – derived from a BBC survey – have shown there are still issues to overcome in terms of the acceptance of gay footballers in the men’s game.
A number of players have been subjected to homophobic abuse, even those who are not gay themselves.
One such player – former Chelsea and Blackburn left-back Le Saux – recalls how things have improved from when he had ‘no support from anyone in football’ when he was subjected to homophobic chants from opposing fans.
Writing for The Guardian, Le Saux has said anyone among that 8% is ‘not welcome in football’.
‘I’m sure the dressing room would be incredibly supportive if a team-mate choose to come out now,’ he adds.
‘Society and football as a whole have changed massively since I played.’
Unlike in women’s football, where a number of players (including international footballers for England and other nations) have been able to come out while still playing the game, there is not a single male footballer in the English football league pyramid who has come out as gay.
Former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger came out only after retiring, while former Leeds United player Robbie Rogers – currently playing in the United States – accused an opponent of homophobic abuse during a recent USL game (an accusation which the accused player, Richard Chaplow, denies).
‘Success won’t just be about gay players coming out,’ Le Saux continues.
‘Success will be everybody feeling welcome in the game.
‘If there are young gay men out there not going into football because they fear they can’t be themselves, or that they’re being judged, then that’s a failure. And that’s what we have to change.’
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