Italian Players Union president Damiano Tommasi tells athletes to stay in the closet

[xchrom]

http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog/2011/12/03/italian-players-union-president-damiano-tommasi-tells-athletes-to-stay-in-the-closet/

Yet another example how European soccer is one of the most homophobic corners of the sports world. Italian Players Union president Damiano Tommasi demonstrated an incredibly shallow understanding and compassion for living as a gay person when he said in an interview that gay athletes should stay in the closet, and that there is no need for anyone to ever come out to be happy. Some of the little gems from his interview, as reported on RawStory:

'It’s to be discouraged. The fact of being identified or singled out as ‘the one who is’, regardless of your profession, whether journalist, footballer or politician, I don’t think it would be an advisable path to take.

Homosexuality is still a taboo in football in the sense that there is a different kind of cohabitation to other professions.

But there is the risk that something intimate would then become uncontrolled public discussion. …

I don’t think that people don’t come out in football due to fear but rather that they don’t do so for personal reasons. I don’t think there’s any need to express your sexual preferences in order to work or live in a civil manner with absolute tranquility.'

[William769]

1. We are not expressing our "sexual preferences" asswipe

We are expressing our right to equality.

We are everywhere just admit it, thats what frightens you.

Recommended.

[xchrom]

2. +1

[Rowdyboy]

3. One would expect Europeans to be more educated.....

apparently some of them are as clueless as our Republican party

[alp227]

4. Blame the Catholic Church.

Oh, expect one of the European tabloids to photograph this guy walking drunk out of a gay bar.