It still takes a lot of courage to take this step. Fifa referee Igor Benevenuto (41) dared. He came out as homosexual.
In the “Globo Esporte” podcast, he took the opportunity to criticize professional football for its handling of homosexuality.
Benevenuto: “Football was a man’s game and I knew early on that I was gay. There was no better place to hide my sexuality.” Because, according to Benevenuto, football is “one of the most hostile environments for a homosexual.”
Fifa referee comes out – criticism of football for dealing with homosexuals.
He goes even further. Benevenuto: “I sacrificed the real me to protect myself from the physical and emotional violence of homophobia. Gays are used to not being themselves. We limit our behavior to disappoint the expectations of the straight world.”
His own homosexuality in the scene was an open secret. However, he was often the victim of insults from fans and club officials. He would have always been treated with respect by players and coaches. One reason why “99.9 percent of homosexuals in the football world live in secret”
Benevenuto: “We exist and deserve the right to talk about it and to live normally.” There is nothing to add.
