Australian Football League player Jason Akermanis has come under fire by coaches, teammates and league officials for statements he wrote in the Herald Sun saying gay athletes should stay in the closet.
In the column, Akermanis said that the AFL is not ready for openly gay players and that it is unnecessary for a player to come out.
“Imagine the publicity associated with a current player admitting he’s gay,” Akermanis said in the paper. “It would be international news and could break the fabric of the club.”
He also said that locker room and homoerotic activities are normal inside the club but that coming out publicly shouldn’t even be considered. Now his own club, the Western Bulldogs, has distanced itself from the player.
“The club does not agree with the views expressed by Jason Akermanis in relation to the potentially negative impact an openly gay footballer would have on a club,” the club said in a statement. “The club also fully supports the AFL, who have undoubtedly shown the way in terms of confronting and dealing with a range of difficult social and cultural issues. Jason Akermanis’ article is based on his opinion and by no means does he speak for the club or AFL players as a whole.”
The club concludes the statement by saying it welcomes any player, regardless of race, religion or sexual preference.
Even the club’s coach, Rodney Eade, felt it was necessary to contradict his player publicly.
“I think we’ve come a long way and I think the AFL leads the way in that aspect [of ending homophobia in sports,]” he said. “Certainly, at the Bulldogs, we think we’ve got a terrific culture and environment. We select players on what they can do on and off the field as individuals; for their football talent, and certainly the character they bring to the club.”
Eade continued by extending a welcome to gay players who may be considering joining the league and his team.
“A central mission of the Western Bulldogs is the respect diversity within our community,” he said. “The Bulldogs have a strong record in seeking to eliminate discrimination on the grounds of gender, race and religion. It’s now time to bring sexual orientation under that protective umbrella.”
Several other coaches expressed disappointment in Akermanis’ opinions and encouraged gay players to come out of the closet and be proud of who they are.
“To hear something like this in 2010, that is just bizarre,” Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos said of Akermanis’ column.
