What is "Sports Free"?
It is an initiative that advocates for the visibility and acceptance of queer athletes in professional sports. The initiator of the initiative is "Diversero", a global community for diversity and anti-bullying. The host and one of the initiators of the "Sports Free" campaign is Markus Urban.
Who is Marcus Urban?
In 2007, Urban was the first former soccer player in Germany to publicly reveal that he was gay. At that time, however, he had long since finished his active career.
Urban, born in 1971 in the then German Democratic Republic (GDR) and was one of the most talented young footballers in his country. He played as a midfielder for FC Rot-Weiss from Erfurt in the province of Thuringia, in the first division for the youth teams of the GDR, as well as for several junior national teams of the GDR.
In the early 1990s, he almost turned professional, but decided not to pursue a career as a professional footballer, as the pressure of hiding his homosexuality was too much for him.
What is intended?
For May 17, 2024, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), the initiative provides a platform where professional athletes can publicly acknowledge their homosexuality or "queerness".
"We are organizing a group 'coming-out' and asking society to reflect on the values of inclusion," the website states. The date was announced back in November 2023.
"We are building a kind of digital gallery wall," Urban explained in a recent interview for Štern magazine. "There, players, coaches, referees or other people from the professional football environment can share their stories".
After that, a "Sports Free Day" will be celebrated around the world on the 17th of each following month to raise awareness of the challenges queer athletes face. But on May 17, special attention will be paid to professional football players who are homosexual.
"It's a small revolution," Urban told DW in April. He says he expects a "chain reaction". "It will be very important for many children, young people and adults around the world. There will be new role models for them afterwards".
What are gay football players afraid of?
Homophobia is still widespread in men's football. Fans often chant against homosexuals, and players just as often have derogatory comments on the field, such as: "What kind of gay pass was that?" Or: "You play like a gay!"
Marcus Urban and his colleagues say that many gay players are more afraid of the reaction on the field and in the locker room than the reaction of the fans in the stands.
In addition, many players are convinced that "after driving, they would fall out of favor in the world of sports," explains Urban. This is why, he says, they hide, lead a double life, sometimes have fake girlfriends for the public, and meet other men only in secret.
Which football professionals have already been in a car?
Along with Urban, the most prominent former national team player in Germany was Tomas Hiclsperger. But he spoke openly about his homosexuality only in 2014, after he finished his active career. So far, no active professional soccer player in Germany has "carried".
In any case, very few active professionals in the world have publicly admitted their homosexuality. The first was an Englishman, Justin Fashanu, in 1990. It was a tragic case. Fashanu faced hatred and rejection. He took his own life in 1998 after a 17-year-old accused him of rape.
After Fashanu "cared out", it took a long time for American football player Colin Martin to announce that he was gay. That happened in 2018. Australian Josh Cavallo (October 2021), Englishman Jake Daniels (May 2022) and Czech Jakub Jankto (February 2023) followed. In other countries, too, there are some active players in the semi-professional, higher amateur ranks who have "carved out".
What do critics say about the planned group "car ride"?
Critics fear that Urban's initiative will not have a long-lasting effect, that it will only shed light on the problem for a short time, and that it will not actually change anything about widespread homophobia. "It's just a distraction, because it gives people the feeling that the problem is being solved and that something is changing, even though it's not actually happening," complained Australian behavioral researcher Erik Denikon in an interview with Germany's Deutschlandfunk (DLF) radio. He has been researching homophobia in sports for years.
There is also criticism from the German Football Association (DFB), which is not involved in the initiative. "Unfortunately, what I miss about that campaign is a wider alliance that supports the whole thing," says Christian Rudolph, who is in charge of gender and sexual diversity at the DFB.
Out of 36 professional clubs from the first and second Bundesliga, only eight clubs have joined the "Sports Free" initiative so far: Stuttgart, Hannover, Osnabrück, Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim, Union Berlin and Zankt Pauli.
What to expect on May 17?
It is difficult to predict. However, as that date approached, skepticism grew and the question arose whether the desired group "caring" of prominent soccer professionals would actually happen. The initiator, Markus Urban, has also recently lowered expectations and backed off a bit.
"Active professional soccer players are still restrained," he said in an interview with "Stern" and also admitted that he had no direct contact with gay soccer players who are professionals, not even through SMS or short messages. "There is a connection, but it takes place in secret," says Urban, indicating that he has to "laboriously" communicate through third parties. "The players are extremely careful. No one dares to go out in public," Urban says, adding that extreme caution is needed.
This Friday, therefore, it will be seen whether the campaign only caused a lot of media attention or whether it will really have a long-lasting effect and improve the position of homosexual football professionals.
Bonus video:
