Daniels is 17 and he announced it a week after his championship debut, Serie B. «I think it’s the right time. I want people to know who I really am. ‘ He is the first footballer to come out in the UK in 32 years
A week after his professional Championship debut, the 17enne striker of the Blackpool
Jake Daniels has become the first footballer currently in business, in Great Britain, to do coming outrevealing his homosexuality in a TV interview.
A decision, he explained, to combat the scourge of homophobia in sport, overcoming prejudices. «I have thought about it for a long time and I think this is the right moment, I feel ready to tell my story – Daniels’ words -. I want people to know who I really am, lying all this time is not something I wanted to do. It was difficult but now I have faith in myself».
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Daniels, who thanked his teammates for the support received, thus becomes the first professional footballer to declare himself gay since the coming out of Justin Fashanu in the 90’s. “It’s been a crazy year. I am 17 years old, I signed my first contract as a prof: I scored 30 goals with the Under 18 and I have just made my debut in the Championship, entering in the last minutes against Peterborough – said Daniels -. And now I’ve decided to come out. It all happened together but I think that’s right. When the season started I wanted to show who I was as a footballer, and I succeeded. There was one last thing to do, now people know, and I can live my life as I like. And you know what? It was amazing”.
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“I even had a girlfriend for a while, so my friends would think I was straight, but it was a painful lie. At school everyone asked me if I was gay but I denied it because I didn’t feel ready ».
Daniels’ choice was greatly appreciated, also by the Premier League (“We are alongside Jake and we believe that football is for everyone”) and by the English Football Association, which defined the young player as “an inspiration for all of us”. Blackpool himself wanted to openly compliment his playerwho has followed the whole process of the youth teams since he was seven: “We are incredibly proud that he has reached a point where he feels strong enough to express himself, on and off the pitch.”
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So far no one had had the courage to follow the example of Josh Cavallo, 22, of Adelaide Unitedthe only openly gay footballer in business so far.
Others, like Thomas Hitzlsperger and Thomas Beattie, had come out but only after they stopped playing.
Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, in a tweet called Daniels’ interview “a courageous decision that deserves the utmost respect”. Also Gary Neville, today a TV commentator, complimented Daniels for «the incredible courage, unthinkable 15 or 20 years ago. I can’t imagine how difficult it was, but it’s a great moment for football ».
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May 16, 2022 (change May 16, 2022 | 22:51)
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