French soccer star Patrice Evra says he personally knows players who are gay but too afraid to come out. He also says it’s much more common than many suspect, with at least two players at every club.
Evra, 40, is now retired from playing. During his career, he famously spent a long spell (2006-2014) as a defender with Manchester United, arguably the most famous club in the world. He also played for Nice, West Ham, Monaco, and Juventus, and made 81 appearances for the French national team.
Evra made the comments during an interview in France for Le Parisien.
“When I was in England, they brought someone to talk to the team about homosexuality,” Evra said. “Some of my colleagues said ‘it is against my religion, if there is a homosexual in this locker room, let him leave the club’ and other comments.
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“At that time, I said, ‘shut up’. I played with players who were gay. Face to face, they opened up with me because they are afraid to speak otherwise.
“There are at least two players per club who are gay. But in the world of football, if you say so, it’s over.”
Evra did not specify which club he was with where players came out to him.
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It’s not uncommon for professional clubs in the UK to run diversity and inclusion training, or to show support for LGBTQ rights by taking part in an annual ‘rainbow laces’ campaign. However, despite this, there are no professional soccer players in the UK who are out as gay.
Across the world, the only gay player in a higher league club is Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United. The 22-year-old came out last October. Although he has received a great deal of support, he has also faced abuse online and from spectators at matches.
Related: Gay soccer player Josh Cavallo calls out homophobic abuse during game
Last weekend Cavallo posted of how “disappointed” he was to face homophobic abuse as he left the pitch during a game last Saturday night.
Donston
In every professional sport there is more than a tiny percentage of dudes who are gay-presenting, homosexual, overall homo-leaning, have dimensions/contradictions/fluidity, are somewhere in the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotional investment, commitment spectrum. This really isn’t something that should need to be said nowadays. But I suppose there still is so much toxic masculinity, hetero expectations, male homophobia, queer insecurities and anti-gay views that this type of stuff still needs to be worded by people in the sport. However, if you’re publicly “out”, the homophobic taunting (particularly from opposing fan bases) is inevitable.
Openminded
I agree, it’s inevitable, but it shouldn’t be acceptable and it remains to be seen if FIFA and/or other authorities put an end to it before it becomes acceptable.
Kangol2
It’s good to know that Patrice Evra did push back against the homophobes and, it seems, offered a sympathetic and empathetic ear to some of these DL players. Even in liberal Europe it is still not safe for self-identified gay, bi and trans players to come out, and it’s not just because of the fans. The professional leagues and clubs also have not created conditions to make it safe, no matter what club owners and leadership claim.
In this regard the US’s professional sports leagues have been considerably better: the NBA, NFL and MLS have had a small number gay players come out or be drafted and have publicly affirmed support for those players, and in the case of the active players like Jason Collins and Carl Nassib, appear to be holding up their end of the bargain. NBA, NFL and MLS fans also appear to have reacted far better to Jason Collins, Michael Sam, Carl Nassib, Collin Martin, and Robbie Rogers, and to Luke Prokop, the NHL prospect.
barryaksarben
Donston is correct. Way too much toxic masculinity in the world
cuteguy
If we don’t get rid of homophobia in sports, we will all be subject to another “Bachelor” Colton and who knows what he will do to top -stalking-an-innocent-female-to-the-point-a -restraining-order-was-issued-and-a-Kevin -Spacey-convenient-type-coming-out-story will follow. Homophobia is bad on so many levels. But especially in sports
BLAKENOW
DUH. oh this was shocking …. SMH