The Rational RefAuthorities must make clear to LGBT players that football is for all
As long as awareness and clarity are lacking at the highest levels, LGBT community will be unable to enjoy the game they love
By the law of averages, there should be many more gay players on the soccer scene than there apparently are at present. How many gay players, in either the men's or women's game, can you name? No doubt, very few.
In Hong Kong, there is at least one team of gay players who are welcomed to play in some of the competitive amateur leagues. But in the officially recognised HKFA leagues, there are no gay players or teams, or none who have openly come out. In any case, if there are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) soccer players in Hong Kong, why should they come out?
The risks in coming out far outweigh the benefits, so it is understandable the world over why LGBT athletes and sports stars generally prefer to keep quiet. Justin Fashanu, who died in 1998 aged 37, was the first openly gay professional soccer player. Two decades passed before LA Galaxy player Robbie Rodgers came out earlier this year. If the positive reactions towards Rodgers, a former Leeds United player, are anything to go by then slowly but surely the tide is turning.
However, Fifa itself does not appear to know whether it is coming or going in terms of gay rights, inclusion and tolerance.
In recent weeks, Fifa president Sepp Blatter has urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to clarify his country's vague new legislation prohibiting the "promotion" of homosexuality, especially with the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and 2018 World Cup in mind. This is apparently at the behest of Fifa's new anti-discrimination taskforce chaired by Jeffrey Webb, who is president of Concacaf.
But Blatter himself is mired in controversy about LGBT intolerance. Two years ago he said gay people should "refrain from sexual activity" in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup, out of consideration for the hosts' religious sensitivities.