Wales rugby player Gareth Thomas announces he is gay

[fredv3b]

Here is the anti-homophobia video that the FA haven't launched. What do you all think of it?

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[fredv3b]

This is the video that the FA didn't launch. What do you all think of it?

[BiPenny]

This is the video that the FA didn't launch. What do you all think of it?

I think its rubbish TBH. Its only really looking at name calling - and then its the use of homophobic terms as put downs for poor performance, not against homosexuals.

Not sure I'm explaining myself very well, but I don't feel it would be very effective.

[marshlander]

Max Clifford doesn't think a Premier League fotballer will come out in the near future; Ben Summerskill would be surprised not to see one do so in the next decade.

Can gay footballers ever come out? | Football | The Guardian

[fredv3b]

I suspect that the difference between Clifford and Summerskill is that Clifford is factoring in money. A high-profile Premiership player would certainly be losing a lot of money in personal sponsorship/advertising deals, a low-profile player would lose out on their hoped for chance of such a deal and may risk dropping down a division, similarly a lower division player would not want to compromise their chances of moving up a division.

My bet is that in 10 years there will be several openly gay former professional players but I fear there will be no openly gay current players. That said as soon as their is one (by choice or by tabloid journalism) and his career doesn't nosedive then I am sure that others that would dearly love not to be in the closet any more will think it safe to come out, it won't be a gradual change.

[fredv3b]

Just another article comparing football and rugby with regards to homophobia, this one from The Independent.

[marshlander]

Coming out seems to be difficult for footballers in Germany too. The neanderthals are everywhere :frown: Did this story appear in The Mail because criticism of a European partner nation trumps bashing gays in Daily Mail land?

A former soccer boss today sparked fury by declaring: ‘There is no place in football for gays.’
Rudi Assauer, who formerly headed up Schalke 04 in Germany's Bundesliga, went on to say: ‘Perhaps they are OK in other sports but not in football.
‘If a player came to me and said he was gay I would say to him: “You have shown courage.” But then I would tell him to find something else to do. more

[fredv3b]

I don't think that the Mail is quite the homophobic paper it until recently used to be. Its got a new assistant (or some such) editor who is gay. Besides which nothing beats bashing the Germans