Australian football player Josh Cavallo revealed, on Wednesday, his homosexuality. Thus, he became the first active athlete in his country’s championship (A-League) to do so, generating numerous messages of support around the world.
“I’m a football player and I’m gay,” 21-year-old Cavallo said on his social media. “I just want to play football and be treated equally,” he added.
“Trying to play the best I can and live a double life is exhausting, it’s an experience I don’t wish for anyone,” he added.
— Josh Cavallo (@JoshuaCavallo) October 27, 2021
Few professional football players have publicly declared their homosexuality and generally have done so after their retirement to avoid being victims of homophobia in the stands.
The first to do so was the English Justin Fashanu in the 1990s. The player committed suicide in 1998, after retiring, while living in the United States.
He described his situation as an “absolute nightmare”, adding that he was “afraid to tell the truth” about his personal case and that it “only made things worse”.
Cavallo indicated that Fashanu’s case crossed his mind as he was considering whether to publicly disclose his homosexuality.
Hey @JoshuaCavallo, I don’t have the pleasure to know you personally but I want to thank you for this step that you take. The world of football is far behind and you are helping us move forward. https://t.co/pe8xdJl15i
– Gerard Piqué (@ 3gerardpique) October 27, 2021
“I remember reading about Justin Fashanu as the first professional football player to reveal his homosexuality in the 1990s and about his suicide eight years later. This made me reflect,” he said.
The Australian called “immense” the support he receives from his club, Adelaide United, as well as from his teammates and those responsible for Australian football.
Players and ex-soccer players from around the world, such as Gerard Piqué and Antoine Griezmann, showed their support for Josh Cavallo. Besides them, big European teams, like Arsenal, Juventus e Barcelona, congratulated the athlete for the decision.
Ricardo is a renowned author and journalist, known for his exceptional writing on top-news stories. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he is known for his ability to deliver breaking news and insightful analysis on the most pressing issues of the day.
