The former captain of the Bayern Munich, Philipp Lahm, Was at the center of a controversy after an advance of his autobiography, which will be published on February 22, where he comments on the taboo of homosexuality in football.
A Premier League footballer admits he is gay
Instead of encouraging the players to come out of the closet, the idol of the Bavarian team considered that it is best that they do not do so and continue to hide it to avoid possible harassment from the press, other players and fans.
“There is still a lack of acceptance in the world of football and in society in general,” he said Lame in his book entitled ‘The Game: The World of Football’, alluding to the fact that gay athletes should not count on their sexual preferences to anyone other than their inner circle.
Along the same lines, he explained that not all players or fans would be prudent to understand and respect him: ” He will not be able to count on this same maturity in all his rivals or in the venues or stadiums in which he will compete. ”.
” They should endure insults and slander, Who would accept that, who would aggravate you for being who you are? ”, The world champion wondered.
He also referred to the case of his ex-partner Thomas Hitzlsperger, Who disclosed his sexual orientation shortly after retiring in 2014. ” I declare my homosexuality because I want this issue to advance in the world of professional sports, ” the former midfielder revealed in an interview published by the newspaper Die Zeit.
In dialogue with Sky Sport, and consulted on the statements he made in his book on football and homosexuality, Lame he stated: ” I prefer to warn of the dangers. What can you expect? I think it’s my job to point out the dangers. But I would support anyone who takes this step. ”
The footballers who decided to get out of the closet
While the statements of the German travel the world, a publication of more than 800 footballers of the Bundesliga who decided to support gay peers to talk freely about their lives. ” This is the free decision of each individual. But we want everyone who decides to be sure of our full support and solidarity, ” says the statement made in 11 Freunde magazine.
“It’s a great campaign and I’m also very happy to have one like that,” he said Lame about this movement. ” I think about the dangers in the stadium when you look at some matches and see what is happening in terms of violence and racism. If all the fans did what they did in the match between Münster and Würzburg, where the public reacted to a racist insult and excluded the person and identified them, if this always happened that way, it would be desirable ” , closed.