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http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=1675167&section=soccernetfrontpage&top&wjb=


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[size=28]
Amaechi: FIFA is failing gay players[/size]
ESPN staff
January 9, 2014
Former NBA star John Amaechi believes football
has a “toxic” approach towards homosexuality and
claims FIFA are not doing enough to help gay
players in the wake of Thomas Hitzlsperger
becoming the most high-profile footballer to come
out.
#INSERT
type:image
caption:Former Utah Jazz power forward John
Amaechi became the first openly gay NBA player in
2007.
END#
• FA resignation over gay slur
Hitzlsperger, 31, revealed his sexuality in an
interview with German newspaper Die Zeit on
Wednesday, becoming only the fourth professional
footballer to do so after former Norwich forward
Justin Fashanu, Swedish lower league player Anton
Hysen and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Robbie
Rogers.
Amaechi made headlines the world over when he
became the first openly gay NBA player in 2007
and he feels that football, like many sports, has a
poisonous attitude toward homosexuality.
“It isn't a big deal for an awful lot of people, but
within sport there is still a problem,” Amaechi said
to BBC Sport. "The real problem, especially with
football, is that it has never evaluated itself
properly. The sport has never understood just how
toxic it is.
“Football is toxic and not just for gay people -- it's
toxic for Asians who want to play the game, it's
toxic for women who want to be executives, it's
toxic for black people who want to do anything
but play. It's toxic in many different ways, but
football doesn't see itself like that.
“It sees itself as this amazing, wonderful, bold and
progressive organisation. As an analogy, it is the
fat bloke who looks at himself in the mirror and
beaming back at him is an Adonis. It's a self-image
that bears no resemblance on reality.
“Footballers coming out at the highest level will
happen only as the product of a cultural change
within the game. It will not be the precursor to
cultural change in football. If you want to see
people being who they are, coming out and playing
at their very best because they're able to be who
they are, then the culture of football must change
first.”
Amaechi pointed the finger directly at FIFA,
accusing world football’s governing body of being
run by “neanderthals” and criticising the
organisation for failing to combat homophobia or
provide adequate support for gay players.
"I think it is a good thing Hitzlsperger has done,
he is held in positive regard as a role model,”
Amaechi told the Mirror. "The truth is the people
who run football are the ones creating this
environment. The fans follow the implicit lack of
breadth when it comes to issues of difference from
the top.
"[FIFA president Sepp] Blatter couldn't have a job
anywhere else. In an equivalent corporate
environment he would be out in a day.
Neanderthals seem to be only able to hang on to
power in sport. They could sort it out in two years,
but it is way behind.
"It takes actions, not just pretty posters. Until they
stab in the heart the ignorance, mythology and
nonsense which is around bigotry then nothing will
change. They are loath to do that, because it will
involve some self-examination [which] they are not
comfortable with. They refuse to hire people who
will educate and challenge them."
Hitzlsperger decision to publicly reveal his
sexuality has been hailed by figures in the football
world and beyond, with his former Stuttgart
teammate Timo Hildebrand, now of Schalke, saying
on Facebook: “My deepest respect, Hitze. Very
courageous!”
Elsewhere, the spokesman for German Chancellor
Angela Merkel said: “We live in a country where
nobody should be afraid of acknowledging their
sexuality for fear of intolerance. And I think that as
a country, as a society, we've made enormous
progress in this area. We judge footballers by
whether they conduct themselves well and with
dignity on and off the pitch, and I believe both are
true for Mr. Hitzlsperger."

I Opened This Thread Agressively Thinking It Is Rotimi Amaechi

don't be offended nairalanders, just want know how distorted propagation of information can attract people.