Robbie Rogers Deserves Plaudits but Retiring Is Not the Answer to Bigots

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: February 16, 2013

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Former Leeds United and United States winger Robbie Rogers deserves the plaudits and support that have been coming his way since he came out as gay on his blog on Friday.

The 25-year-old, who was on loan at Stevenage this season, had seen his career at Elland Road blighted by injury since joining the club on a recommendation from USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann to former Leeds boss Simon Grayson in January 2012.

However, the key phrase in the former Columbus Crew, Leeds and United States midfielder's statement wasn't his sexuality, it was his declaration that, "It’s time to discover myself away from football".

Coming out and remaining in the game are still at opposite ends of the spectrum and, consequently, we are waiting still for the first openly gay professional footballer since Justin Fashanu to emerge while playing.

Even now, though, Fashanu's brother John, who played for Wimbledon and Aston Villa, insists his sibling was seeking attention as he told talkSPORT in March 2012.

But that account differs significantly from the view held by former Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, who paid £1 million to sign Fashanu from Norwich City, who recounted a conversation with the striker in his autobiography Clough: The Autobiography as retold by the Daily Telegraph.

When John Fashanu's daughter, Amal, made a documentary about her uncle for the BBC, she unearthed her father's views at the time, as the Daily Mail reported in January 2012.

In February 1999, Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux was taunted about his sexuality by Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler as he prepared to take a free-kick during a match at Stamford Bridge as BBC Sport reported. Le Saux, who was an England teammate of Fowler's, was university-educated and did not follow the 'laddish' template set by footballers.



Former Arsenal and Tottenham defender Sol Campbell was also the target for...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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