I don’t want any player to feel like they have to live a double life on and off the pitch. But I want to keep campaigning so that future generations won’t even need to ask themselves whether it’s safe to come out and be who they are. I have always had the utmost respect for their privacy, and will continue to advocate for them even if they haven’t found their voice yet. As part of my uncle’s legacy, the Justin Fashanu Foundation counsels players suffering from discrimination, including those who are ashamed or scared to speak publicly about their sexuality. Even when Justin came out in the 1990s, his teammates rallied around him. The tide is turning on these bigoted views and, by hook or by crook, we will reach zero tolerance.įootball has always been a tight-knit community. As more and more sportspeople open up about their mental health and personal struggles, supporters have too often lagged behind in accepting this new status quo. The real test will now be how fans adapt. We’ve marched for George Floyd and players have taken the knee in support of Black Lives Matter. Recent years have seen a collective rejection of injustice in all its forms.
