Jake Daniels, 17, in a television interview admitted to his homosexuality. Photo: Video capture.
Jake Daniels became the first active footballer on Monday in the United Kingdom and Europe to announce publicly that he is gay. This is a rare occurrence: the only record of a similar case in England began in 1990. “I wasn’t ready and it was a struggle, but I’m gay, I don’t want to lie anymore,” he admitted directly.
The player, included 17 years signed in February his first contract for blackpoola team playing in England’s second division (Championship), said “this is the right time to do it” and thanked the support he received from the club as well as from his teammates.
“For a long time I thought I had to hide the truth because I wanted to be, and in fact now, I’m a professional footballer. I asked myself if I shouldn’t wait until I retire to come out of the closet ., kasi no other professional footballer has said it“, Daniels revealed, in an interview conducted by the chain SkyNews.
“However, I knew that meant lying for a long time and I can no longer handle myselfor live the life I want, ”he explains.
Jake Daniels has been a professional player for English Blackpool since February of this year. Photo: Twitter (@Jake_Daniels11)
The news in England engaging. More than 30 years have passed since an English footballer openly revealed his homosexuality.
In 1990, Justin Fashanu, a footballer for Norwich and Manchester City, among other teams, was the one who announced exclusively in the newspaper The day that he is gay Y made it under pressure because, as he said, he anticipated the news going to be published in another morning paper.
Daniels said Monday that after “thinking about it for a long time” he decided “wants to be free“and let people know your” true self “.
“Since I told my family, my club and my teammates, the period of over-thinking and stress is gone. It affects my mental health. It’s only now that I feel confident and happy to finally be myself. “
“Those who were with me then a great endorsementeveryone supported me. They asked me tons of questions, and they were very interested; and his reaction was incredible. It’s the best thing that could be wished for, ”the footballer added.
The player claimed that homosexuality is still a “taboo” in professional changing rooms. “Of course, I am aware that there will be a reaction to this and that part homophobic, perhaps in a stadium or on social networks. I became an easy target. “
“I see it this way: I play football and they shout, but they pay to watch me and I live and make money from it. So they can shout as much as they want.”
With information from EFE
Source: Clarin
