By Egghead06 [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Still, Hitzlsperger’s announcement, in the German newspaper Die Zeit, was a welcome surprise. He said he wants to “advance the discussion about pro athletes being gay”:
He said homosexuality was mostly “simply ignored” in professional football, as many players refused to talk about the topic. Certainly, no other German footballer of his caliber has ever spoken so openly about being gay.
The comments have predictably caused a minor frenzy in the press, with tabloids and broadsheets alike leaping to cover the story, as well as the Liverpool Echo and TV outlets like the BBC, CNN and Sky Sports News. As with Tom Daley last month, a sportsman coming out is still big news, but the time will come when it genuinely is a non-issue. Personally, I’m more fascinated by the fact, revealed on his Wikipedia page, that he speaks English with “an unusual Brummie-German hybrid accent”.
The footballing world still doesn’t seem to quite know how to deal with the gay footballers issue. The FA, never particularly brilliant on diversity issues at the best of times, recently managed to appoint a man who thinks homosexuality is “detestable” to their equality board. Meanwhile, we are all looking forward to the 2022 World Cup, to be held in a country where Hitzlsperger (and Anton Hysén, and Robbie Rogers, and me) would face up to three years in jail. Hopefully, Hitzlsperger’s announcement will help to focus minds on the issue.
Generally, however, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, with the great and the good and Joey Barton of the footballing world taking to Twitter to express their support.
Brave and right decision. Respect, Thomas Hitzlsperger. His outing is a important sign in our time. pic.twitter.com/c69Oml2Ocp
— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) January 8, 2014
Looking forward to interviewing Thomas Hitzlsperger for Football Focus this week. A man, hopefully, paving the way for others to follow.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 8, 2014
Thomas Hitzlsperger has shown a lot of courage today. Sad times when people have to wait till they retire from their chosen profession…
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) January 8, 2014
…before the feel other people will judge them solely on who the human being is. Shame on all of us as a society.
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) January 8, 2014
Saying something nice on Twitter is totally different from the bantz-filled dressing room, but I hope other closeted footballers (we know they’re out there) will be encouraged by the response.
I do have one regret over this whole thing; one which my friend Scott shares:
@hampo there was a fit homo football player running around Liverpool for a year and WE MISSED IT.
— Scottieboy (@merseytart) January 8, 2014
But that’s a minor quibble. Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Herr Hitzlsperger!