Adelaide United midfielder Josh Cavallo is openly gay. He's expressing his gratitude for the support he has received from his family, friends, and teammates. (2:49).
On Wednesday, Adelaide United's midfielder Josh Cavallo became an uncommonity in professional sports: an openly homosexual male athlete.
Cavallo hopes that more professional footballers will follow his lead by publicly announcing their homosexuality.
He wrote on Twitter, "I know there's other players living in silence." "I want this to change, to show everyone that they have the right to be themselves.
"It is amazing to learn that there are no gay professional footballers, not just in Australia but all over the world.
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"Hopefully, this will change in near future. I want to... make other players in my position feel that they are not alone."
According to the 21-year old, he felt ashamed growing up and "always felt the need" to hide.
He wrote, "Ashamed I wouldn't be able to do the things I loved and be homosexual,"
"Being closeted and gay, I had to learn how to hide my feelings in order for me to be a professional footballer.
"Growing up gay and playing football weren't two worlds that had ever crossed paths before.
"I have lived my whole life believing that this topic should never be discussed."
A-League player Josh Cavallo described the 'immense' support he has received since he came out to his Adelaide United team. Mark Brake/Getty Images
Carl Veart, Adelaide United coach, said Cavallo has played 19 matches for the Reds, after nine for Western United. He has also "shown incredible courage to become one of very few professional athletes to be so brave."
Veart stated, "I have nothing but admiration for him and support him as well as all the players' and coaches' staff."
"I want my players to be happy and feel at home as their own person on the field and off it.
Josh needs to feel free to be himself in order to achieve his goals and make the most of his career. I support him 100%."
Cavallo, a Melbourne man, said that his Adelaide teammates and coaches were like a family to himself but he became tired of having to avoid "normal locker room talk," about players' relationships.
On a Network Ten website, he stated that he experienced "a kind of sadness and depression" that he wouldn't want on anyone.
Cavallo stated that Thomas Beattie (a former youth player for English Club Hull City, who came out in 2020), had been a role model in helping him along his journey. He hoped their example would help other young gay men in sports.
He stated that statistics show that only 33% of young gay men are playing football, compared to 68% for young straight men.
"That's a lot young players being left behind -- talented players who don't fit into the norm.
"Perhaps, we can all play a role in saying that football accepts everybody -- that you're all welcome?"
This report used information from Reuters.
