Premiership star slams 'lack of support' for gay footballers

Gay rights campaigners criticised the top of English football for its lack of support for gay players tonight after an England goalkeeper spoke out about homophobia in the sport.

David James, who now plays for Portsmouth and has spent 18 years as a footballer, claimed the game was one of the last areas where you cannot be "out and proud".

He encouraged his fellow players who are gay to come out and reveal their sexuality, but conceded it could be years before that happens because of the attitude within the sport.

His comments prompted gay rights campaign group Stonewall to call for a culture change in football, led by the most powerful in the game.

Its director of parliamentary and public affairs, Alan Wardle said: "While we would welcome a Premier club footballer coming out, it is unlikely until the whole culture of the game changes and that means leadership from the top in particular from the FA.

"Gay people need to be supported wherever they are in the workplace and in football that support is sadly lacking."

The Football Association denied they were not doing enough to support gay players, saying it was up to the individual whether they spoke out about their sexuality.

A spokesman said: "It is a decision to be made by individuals as and when they feel it is right.

"To suggest that the FA are not going anything would be unfair. What we are trying to do is to create an environment whereby homophobia is treated in the same way as racism, or any other form of discrimination."

If a top-flight player was to come out and declare he was gay, it would destroy one of the last taboos in the game.

Justin Fashanu is famously the only footballer to have done so back in 1990 and he killed himself eight years later at the aged of 37.

James, writing in the Observer, said: "In every other entertainment industry we have gay stars. Why should football be any different?"

No one had ever come out to him during his career, he continued, although a senior executive had said he wished all gay footballers would do so "so we could just get on with it".

The sheltered existence of footballers meant if they did declare they were gay, it could come back to haunt them because loyalties switch so much, the footballer claimed.

He said: "Down the years, I could easily have been accused of being gay. I was a bit different - I modelled for Giorgio Armani ... I practised yoga; I read; I paint. I've been to the Boardwalk - a gay club in Manchester - although I was with my wife at the time..."

The goalkeeper wondered how many more years it would be before people could talk openly about gay men in football.

He wrote: "From next season, homophobic chanting is outlawed, which is a start. It'll still take some sort of new age hero to be the first to come out, but I just hope, for football's sake, that it happens soon."

Copyright Press Association 2007.

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