Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay Australian footballer, said he receives multiple death threats every day and that it would be difficult to encourage other soccer players to leave “the closet” due to the “toxic” environment of this sport.
The Adelaide United midfielder came out “of the closet” in 2021 and said that, despite the support of his club and his coaches, his frankness about his sexuality had carried him a lot of pressure and negativity.
“There are many many death threats that continue to arrive daily.
“In the world of football, being an openly gay player is (being in) a very toxic place.
“I still think that we are very far from acceptance in this area.”
“They are factors that people will take into account when leaving” of the closet “and, they may not be outside now, but leave” from the closet “attracts all this attention, all this pressure, all this negativity that will affect their game in the long term.”
You may be interested: Luka Doncic, a hurricane that nobody saw coming, sweeps the Lakers
Cavallo has received homophobic insults from the public playing in the Adelaide
Cavallo has received homophobic insults from the public playing in the Adelaide and has denounced the problem in social networks.
“It’s hard to tell people: ‘Of course, salt from the closet,” be yourself, “he says.
“Because it also entails a mountain of inconveniences that I think people don’t realize.”
Cavallo said that having a support network around him had helped him “lift a wall” to protect himself from abuses. He also said that he wanted to have left “from the closet” before, instead of waiting until the age of 21, because he had felt living a lie.
“I was tired of being hidden and having to go hiding from people and not living my real me,” he said.
“And then I asked me: why has this happened in football?
“And now I understand looking back, all negativity, all the things that cross your way.”
With Reuters information.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and do not miss our content
