The first openly gay man to play in Australia's domestic football league says he's still subject to death threats four years after going public about his sexuality. (More Football News)
Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United in the A-League, told the FIFPro Footballers Unfiltered podcast that 바카라in a world of football, being a gay ... player is a very toxic place.바카라
바카라I still think we're a very, very long way from being accepted in this space, unfortunately,바카라 he said.
In the podcast, he asked rhetorically: "Why has no one ever come out to be themselves and be successful and play?바카라
"And I understand that now looking back 바카라 all the negativity, all the things that come your way, there's multiple, multiple, multiple death threats that come my way daily, still, and it's quite sad to see.바카라
Cavallo didn't detail the online threats. He continues to train and play as a professional footballer every week.
바카라I have a very strong support network, I have my good days, I have my bad days, but I'm free," he said.
"I go to bed, I put my head on the pillow and I'm happy. I'm Josh Cavallo, I'm the footballer ... the gay footballer, and I'm super proud to say that.바카라
Cavallo told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Wednesday that he still has positive experiences of meeting people who tell him they've been encouraged and inspired by his advocacy.
In his 바카라everyday life," he said, people had approached him and 바카라know who I am and speak to me and say how I guided them and how I give them the courage to come out at school.바카라
바카라On the other side," he added, "opening my social media this morning, it was quite disturbing reading the comments that got sent my way.바카라
He said when his club published a video of his announcement in 2021 it changed perspectives around the world, but there's still a long way to go for the sport to help remove the fear of public backlash for other players coming out.
바카라It's obviously . . . influenced a lot of people and made so much progression within the game," he said of his life story, 바카라and I wouldn't trade it for anything.바카라
In 2022, he reported homophobic abuse during a game and he said it continues on social media.
바카라I don't really like to show this side of things because I feel like it's going to put fear into people who are thinking about coming out," he told the ABC. 바카라What I did in 2021 was fantastic and great for myself and for the wider LGBTQ+ community, but ... we're four years on now and we're still getting (homophobic abuse) on a daily바카라 basis.
Peter Malinauskas, premier of South Australia state where the Adelaide United club is based, said the vitriol Cavallo has faced is 바카라beyond awful 바카라 it's unacceptable.바카라
바카라It speaks to a degree of cowardice that we know exists in the community," he said, adding that Cavallo deserved 바카라a lot of credit for his courage.바카라
