German footballer urges gay players to ‘come out’ and support homosexuality
November 12th, 2010 - 1:47 pm ICT by ANILondon, Nov 12(ANI): Germany striker Mario Gomez has urged gay footballer to come out and support homosexuality in the sport.
Gomez has broken ranks with the German Football Federation and team-mates, who have warned that coming out could destroy a player’s career.
However, Gomez, who has not revealed if he is gay, said that being honest about their sexuality would improve gay players’ performance.
“They would play as if they had been liberated. Being gay should no longer be a taboo topic,” the Guardian quoted Gomez, as saying.
The 25-year-old further said 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 [Guido Westerwelle], the Berlin mayor [Klaus Wowereit] is gay. So, professional footballers should own up to their preference,” Gomez said.
The only German footballer to have come out and accept that he is gay is Marcus Urban, who told his teammates in 1997 and promptly ended his professional career. (ANI)
- Mario Gomez Urges Gay Footballers To "Come Out" - Nov 12, 2010
- Public display of affection at Berlin gay parade - Jun 25, 2011
- Hostility to homosexuality is still rife in modern Football - Nov 14, 2010
- Rainbow hues in Berlin ahead of gay parade - Jun 24, 2011
- German Foreign Minister Westerwelle steps down as German Vice Chancellor - Apr 05, 2011
- Germany calls for new sanctions against Iran - Nov 10, 2011
- Olympic games for gays and lesbians held - Aug 12, 2010
- 8 out of 10 Brit footie fans say they would back gay players who come out - Aug 08, 2010
- Greece needs structural reforms to rebuild economy: Merkel - Jan 16, 2012
- Bayern to miss Robben, Kroos in Champions League clash at City - Dec 07, 2011
- Iran's no delays Merkel's India-bound plane, Germany upset (Second Lead, changing dateline) - Jun 01, 2011
- German foreign minister calls for Afghan withdrawal plan - Nov 16, 2009
- James Anderson poses nude for gay mag cover - Sep 21, 2010
- Bayern Munich continue their Bundesliga domination - Oct 16, 2011
- Bayern defeat Manchester City 2-0 in Champions League - Sep 28, 2011
Tags: courage, gay footballer, gay players, gay vice, german football federation, german society, guardian, guido westerwelle, klaus wowereit, mario gomez, preference, professional career, professional footballers, role models, sexuality, striker, taboo topic, team mates, teammates, vice chancellor
