Justin Fashanu played for Norwich, Nottingham Forests and Hearts That guess is based on statistics that say around 5 to 10 percent of the adult population in Germany is gay or lesbian. Though there are no figures on the number of gay players in Germany, Tatjana Eggeling from the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and European Ethnology at the University of Göttingen said she estimated there were about 30 in the top two leagues. Berlin's mayor, for example, is gay and appears at functions with his partner. Same-sex unions are legal here and it's not unusual to see high-profile personalities open about their sexuality. Germany, in fact, is considered fairly liberal regarding gay rights. "Constructing a fake identity and an elaborate web of lies takes a heavy toll on the players and doesn't make it easier for them to focus on their game," said Schäfer, who added he was taken aback by how widespread homophobia continued to be in the soccer world.
They usually enlist PR agencies to create a "normal" heterosexual image for the player, which includes parading hired models and kids around the players during publicity events. German supermodel Heidi Klum added some glamour to the World Cup last yearĬlubs also sometimes step in if gay rumors persistently circulate around a player. The other gay player profiled said that a female friend in the know often accompanied him to club celebrations and parties to give the impression that he was straight. "But what am I to do? Coming out would mean death," he was quoted as saying in the article. One player, who is married, said even his wife had no idea he was gay and that he was involved in a long-term relationship with a childhood friend. They eventually agreed to tell their stories provided they remained anonymous.īoth spoke of going to great lengths to hide their sexuality from their clubs, managers and teammates and living in constant fear of being discovered. Gays on the pitch remain a huge taboo," said Rainer Schäfer, chief editor at RUND, who spent two years researching the topic and winning the trust of two gay players in the two highest German soccer leagues. "Soccer is still unbelievably backward when it comes to homosexuality. That was the bottom line of a cover story by the popular German soccer magazine RUND last month which interviewed players who kept their homosexuality tightly under wraps. That isn't because there aren't any, but because they've decided keeping their sexuality hidden is preferable to the career-ending scorn, ridicule and even physical danger they would face if they came out of the closet.
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German professional soccer hasn't seen a gay player to date.