Italian Sports Minister Andrea Abodi on Tuesday denied allegations of homophobia following controversy in the country over his comments about openly gay Czech player Jakub Jankto.
In an interview published by the newspaper The printAbodi said he “did not want to be seen as homophobic” after having declared that he “didn’t like the ostentation” of Jankto, who is about to be signed by Cagliari, back in the first division of the Italian Championship next season.
That comment, made during a radio interview on Monday, was interpreted as a reference to the player revealing his homosexuality in February.
But Abodi insisted he was talking about what he considers “excessive ostentation” among some participants in the annual LGBTQIA+ Pride parades, and not about people’s freedom to express their sexual orientation.
“My answer had the necessary spontaneity when you have to give a very brief answer, especially on the radio, where time is short”, declared the minister.
“I brought together two concepts that should be separate… the identity of each one must be respected and I hope that thousands of other people manage to come out of the closet”, added Abodi.
Jankto will be the first openly gay player in Serie A once he makes his move official from Getafe in Spain to Cagliari.
The 27-year-old Czech player, who is part of a group of top-level athletes who have publicly revealed their homosexuality while still active, has played in Italy for Udinese, Ascoli and Sampdoria.
Abodi, 63, is sports and youth minister in a right-wing government of the Brothers of Italy (FDI) party, which has neo-fascist roots.
Gay rights activists have denounced the treatment given to the Italian LGBTQIA+ community since the head of government and FDI, Giorgia Meloni, took office in October last year, with a program that promotes traditional family values.
Football stadiums in Italy are often the scene of acts of sectarianism and racism by organized supporters, most of whom have openly far-right political views.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
Kingston is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
