Earlier this week British tabloid newspaper The Daily Mirror reported that two Premier League footballers were ready to publically announce they are gay, including one England international.
The headline has caused people to take to social media to voice their opinions, good or bad and led to some footballers, including Luke Shaw, announcing it isn’t them. But is there more needing to be done to help footballers be themselves without being discriminated against? The world of social media is a dangerous place for people who take negative comments to heart and could abuse lead to the downfall of a players career? Some chants around the stadiums of the Premier League aren’t the most complimenting towards rival players and if this occurs with chants directed at an openly homosexual footballer, it could lead to the damage of not only football clubs, but the Premier League itself.
The truth is that footballers should be judged on their performance, statistics and on field antics, not who they wish to find love with. Whether he plays for your rival and most hated team or not, all football fans around should support them to keep the reputation of the game we love sky high and not remembered as being associated with sickening discrimination. The person wearing the shirt you love so much is still a human and it’s something football fans have to remember, abuse via social media could bring a downfall to their performances and career, but support will motivate them and be held long in their memories.
In my opinion, I don’t agree with the way the Daily Mirror has released this subject because if there was even a slight chance of these footballers coming out, the headlines may have reduced it because of the stir it has caused. A newspaper has to report topics of course, but why not wait until the announcement from the player and respond with headlines of support and messages to kick off that players journey to be able to be himself.
If the reports about one of the two players being an England international is true, then FIFA will need to take immediate action after allowing the World Cup to be held in Qatar in 2022, a place where being homosexual is banned. If FIFA don’t change this soon, it could lead to teams pulling out of the World Cup to support their teammates which will damage the reputation of football’s biggest tournament.
To notice the worrying signs that the future could hold for football you don’t have to look far from the ‘Rainbow Laces’ campaign. The campaign seemed like a great turn towards no homophobia in football but didn’t last long before being put under the carpet, with only a small majority of footballers wearing the rainbow laces for long. Arsenal even made a slightly cringey advert including a look into Giroud’s private life, remember?
To conclude this article I stand with my point that the whole of football must come together to support all footballers, whatever their sexuality. It would speak strong words about the world of football and follow the likes of Rugby and Cricket in kicking out homophobia.
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