Water Polo Goalkeeper Jelto Spijker Opens Up About Being Homosexual in Sports activities

Water polo goalkeeper Jelto Spijker performs goalkeeper on the highest degree within the German water polo competitors. The 24-year-old worldwide got here out just a few years in the past. At first it was not simple, however step by step it grew to become accepted. “It seems that I do not get a lot inconvenience. I consider that that is doable in soccer as properly.”

Spijker determined on the age of seventeen to be open about his homosexuality. It was an enormous step, possibly a bit too huge on the time, he says in a brand new episode of the NOS De Schaduwspits podcast.

“After I got here out, I made the step to the best degree. I felt plenty of stress at the moment, as a result of I used to be the one one at that degree in water polo. It felt like the whole lot I did on the entire LGBTI neighborhood illustration.”

He felt like a reluctant position mannequin. “That stress obtained to me. I left the Dutch group then and I even wished to cease taking part in water polo fully. The world may be very small. It is essential how different folks look you. And I used to be the one one.”

What Spijker additionally suffered was the humor of the dressing room. Particularly in a macho world like water polo.

“I did not need to be troublesome or make myself weak. So I accepted the whole lot, and in addition made a joke to myself to make it open for dialogue. I misplaced myself a bit there. As a result of many concepts influenced me greater than I wished to confess on the time.”

NOS Podcast De Schaduwspits

Within the NOS De Schaduwspits podcast, Winfried Baijens, Rivkah op het Veld and Jeroen Gortworst examine why it’s so sophisticated to return out on this planet of soccer. In bonus program, it may be listened to right herethey speak to Jelto Spijker, who exchanged soccer for water polo.

The Covid outbreak turned out to be a saving grace for Spijker’s sporting profession. He missed water polo greater than he anticipated and when he was allowed once more, he switched golf equipment, returned to the Dutch group and located a method to be the ‘Ambassador for homosexual acceptance’ put in perspective. He did not must be a soldier for homosexual rights. He might ‘simply’ play water polo too.

“The truth that I allowed myself that selection took plenty of that stress away.”

He additionally let go of the ‘homosexual’ label, as a result of he was greater than that. “I am a water polo participant, I am homosexual, however I am additionally a person. And people three issues, it’s a must to steadiness them in some unspecified time in the future.”

Due to that self-reflection, he continues to play on the highest degree. However issues might have gone otherwise. “The explanation I wish to participate in that is additionally to point out how a lot expertise is misplaced when somebody feels misplaced. It is only a disgrace for my sport be, I feel.”

What does he suppose soccer can study from water polo?

“Effectively, do not forget that ultimately it is concerning the gamers. As quickly as you lose these gamers, you additionally lose part of soccer. It simply appears to me that must do one thing about it I need to transfer like KNVB or soccer membership.

That’s anticipated on Friday in Germany a number of European skilled footballers come out of the closet. That might be a breakthrough in worldwide males’s soccer.

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Spijker himself feels that he has seen sufficient in his sport. “I did an interview about homosexual acceptance for the most important water polo journal within the Netherlands. In that regard I really feel that I’ve affordable help.”

However he has a tip for the Dutch swimming affiliation KNZB.

“After I got here out, they by no means got here to me to ask what this was like for me. Or what I used to be up towards. That would appear affordable to me. Particularly if somebody is the primary after which drops out of the Dutch group. Then is it affordable to ask about what occurred? I am nonetheless open to such a dialog.”