ROME (AP) — England coach Gareth Southgate hopes that gay soccer players “come out soon” because “it will have an unlimited impact on society,” he said in an interview with an Italian newspaper published on Saturday.
“The teams and players wouldn’t have any problem with it,” Southgate told La Repubblica ahead of this month’s World Cup in Qatar. “They might accept and embrace their teammates after a coming out. But footballers are afraid of the reactions outside and from the fans.
“I experienced it with Thomas Hitzlsperger at Aston Villa: I didn’t think he was gay and when he announced it, it was something completely normal,” he said of the previous Germany international, who got here out as gay after he retired from playing.
Southgate and Hitzlsperger were teammates at Villa within the early 2000s.
“European teams have never been as tolerant, multicultural and multi-religious as they’re today,” Southgate said in comments that were published in Italian. “In fact there’ll at all times be homophobes on the skin. But I hope gay players come out soon because it will have an unlimited impact on society.”
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Gay rights have grow to be a problem for the World Cup since same-sex relations are criminalized within the conservative Gulf nation.
England will wear the “OneLove” anti-discrimination captain’s armband on the World Cup.
Not less than 10 European nations committed to advertise inclusion and campaign against discrimination this season and eight of them have qualified for Qatar.
Southgate was asked if the armband initiative might be enough to lift awareness about human rights issues in Qatar, with the treatment of migrant employees who built venues for the World Cup a decade-long controversy.
“We must be realists in regards to the goals we would like to attain,” the coach said. “I’ve been to Qatar 3 times and all the employees have told me clearly that they need the World Cup since it’s a vehicle for change.
“We want to respect a rustic with a unique culture, religion and traditions. But at the identical time we’ve got the responsibility and the likelihood to make clear points that might be improved. That might make an enormous difference.”
England plays Iran in its opening match in Qatar on Nov. 21 before also facing america and Wales in Group B.
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