German football landscape is set to be change forever as a group of male footballers fix a date to officially announce their sexual orientations.
While the identities of the footballers are undisclosed pending the big announcement, German outlets confirmed all the players are planning to announce themselves as gay.
Preussische Allgemeine Zeitung claimed the fixed date for the said declaration and announcement is May 17, 2024.
The timing of the planned announcement by the footballers is symbolic as it coincides with International Day Against Homophobia.
It is believed the footballers in question are hoping to leverage the import of the idea celebrated on the international day to make their claims for integration and non-discrimination.
Dispositions and perceptions of sexual orientations have been one of the most divisive topics in modern football.
World football’s governing body FIFA have reiterated their commitment to promoting integration and ending all forms of discrimination in football touching on standard boilerplates like racism and sexuality.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was another stage where the moral battle over the place of sexual minorities in the game was fought.
Qatar, who hosted the tournament, refused to budge on their anti-gay policies and ban of public expressions of minority sexual orientations.
Plans by Western FA’s to fly rainbow flags and armbands in solidarity with sexual minorities in protest of Qatar’s conservative traditions were sabotaged.
While Western FA’s have been strong advocates for the integration of sexual minorities and ending all forms of discrimination against gay footballers, only a few footballers – mostly in lower leagues – have come out as gay.
According to the Daily Mail, Germany has no active male footballer who is openly gay. The planned declaration by the group of male footballers will be the first time gay footballers have publicly declared their sexual orientation in public. The potential impact of the move in breaking barriers and freeing up the civic space for LGBT+ communities cannot be overemphasized.
