Matthew Mitcham urges Australian football players to come out

Olympic Gold medal winning diver Matthew Mitcham has urged Australian football players who are homosexual to come out

Talking to the Herald Sun, Mitcham said

“If their environment allows them to feel comfortable enough to come out, I see absolutely no reason why not,” Mitcham said of footballers. All the footy codes have been doing so much work to stamp out homophobia in their sports, and I think it’s so brilliant and such a proactive thing on their part. It’s a part of me that I love and enjoy and I like being known as gay. I see it as something positive, so it’s just another positive thing to be known as.”

Mitcham was recently name an ambassador for the upcoming Delhi Commonwealth Games, after initially struggling to capitalise on his new fame.

Here in the UK, the Justin Campaign, named after the late out gay football player Justin Fashanu, has been founded to highlight the issue of homophobia in the sport.