By Esther Egbe
One of the most difficult subjects to speak about,homosexuality in football, has been tackled head on by Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud, who has suggested that it’s impossible for current players to come out as gay,National Daily learnt.
Though the Frenchman has expressed the need for tolerance, the lack of players willing to open up about the subject shows that football still has a long way to go in its understanding.
“It’s impossible to declare you’re homosexual in football,” he said to La Figaro.
“I understand the pain and difficulty that professional athletes have to ‘come out of the closet,’ but I ‘m very tolerant of this issue.
“Though there are rainbow laces and other initiatives in support of the gay community , there is a lot of work ahead in football regarding tolerance to homosexuality.”
The French striker remembers the experience of Thomas Hitzlsperger, a former Aston Villa player who came out in 2014.
“When Hitzlsperger made his decision, that was when I said to myself that it’s impossible to show homosexuality in football today,” he added.
“In a dressing room there’s a lot of testosterone, companionship, collective showers.It’s complicated, but that’s how it is.”