Gay footballer issues plea to Premier League stars – EXCLUSIVE

World Cup: Former Wales captain has rainbow bucket hat confiscated

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

San Diego Loyal midfielder Collin Martin believes that gay Premier League players would help other LGBTQ+ athletes to stop ‘living in fear’ by publicly coming out and expressing their true selves amid the controversy during the World Cup over Qatar’s approach to homosexuality. There are currently no openly gay players in England’s top flight, although Blackpool youngster Jake Daniels became the first male professional footballer in the UK since Justin Fashanu to come out earlier this year.

Adelaide United playmaker Josh Cavallo made international headlines by revealing his sexuality in October of last year and was met with widespread support from all corners of the football community, although no Premier League players have followed his lead as of yet. Martin, who came out as gay four years ago, has since insisted that it would mean the world to many budding LGBTQ+ footballers to see a high-profile star in the English game following in the footsteps of Daniels and Cavallo in the not-too-distant future.

“I think it makes a big difference to have that visibility and to see the likes of Josh and Jake to be out,” Martin exclusively told Express Sport. “You see the impact, it has ripples not only at a professional level but for kids looking up and seeing that there’s a gay soccer player that potentially they can reach that level and be just like Josh and Jake.

“Seeing the support they’ve gotten from team-mates and other players and the leagues across the world, I think it’s very positive and hopefully they’ll inspire a Premier League player to come out. Hopefully there’s more so we don’t have to live in fear of being able to support those types of players.”

JUST IN: FIFA rejects President Zelensky’s request ahead of World Cup final

Martin went on to explain that many factors could be preventing Premier League players from coming out, with the 28-year-old recalling the doubts that raced around in his own head before deciding to tell his team-mates that he was gay back in 2018.

“There’s more to life than soccer and I think that was important for me to realise when I was first starting to explore my sexuality, that it’s something I’m going to have to live with my whole life,” he added.

“Soccer is something I’ve known my whole life and is so important to me, but if I don’t figure out this major aspect of my life then I can’t continue on. I just hope those players find it within themselves to keep trying to explore that part of themselves and reach out to get support if they need it to be able to live openly.

“I know they would impact a lot of people and hopefully we don’t have to have this conversation in a couple of years if a couple of players would come out, then it would just be the norm. We would continue to try and make strides but we need those players to come out to impact it in that way.”

Collin Martin, San Diego Loyal soccer player, who came out as gay in 2018, has partnered with BonusFinder and LGBT HERO to understand representation and attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community in US professional team sports.

Source: Read Full Article