“I’m gay and I don’t want to hide anymore.”Con a video posted on his Instagram profile Sparta Prague footballer Jakub Jankto has chosen to come out. “Hello, I’m Jakub Jankto – his message – Like everyone else, I have my strengths, my weaknesses, a family, my friends, a job that I have been doing best for years, with seriousness, professionalism and passion . Like everyone else, I also want to live my life in freedom. Without fear. Without prejudice. Without violence. But with love. I’m gay and I don’t want to hide anymore.”
Jankto, who is 27, currently plays for Sparta Prague, on loan from Getafe, but has also been in Italy: in 2015 he arrived at Udinese, who sent him on loan to Ascoli in Serie B. The debut in A, in the 2016-2017 season a Udine, where he remained for two seasons before moving to Sampdoria where he stayed for three seasons before moving to Spain in summer 2021. In total he played 155 matches in Serie A, scoring 17 goals.
“We are all with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone.” With this tweet, accompanied by the emoticons of a rainbow flag and a heart, Fifa sides with the Czech Republic national team Jakub Jankto, a 27-year-old former Udinese and Sampdoria player, who today came out declaring his homosexuality. UEFA is also at the player’s side. “You did well, Jakub – is the tweet of the European confederation -. You are a true source of inspiration, and European football is with you”. Between the two tweets from Fifa and Uefa is that of Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret, who posted a heart emoticon, and so did theJuventus accountalong with an image of a rainbow.
I am many messages of solidarity via social networks against Jankto. There Football Federation of the Czech Republic (the national team of which the former Udinese player is a member) writes that “nothing changes for us. Live your life, Jakub”, while the player’s current club, Sparta Prague (which borrowed him from Getafe ) reveals that “Jakub spoke openly about his sexual orientation with management and teammates some time ago. Everything else concerns his personal life: no further comments, no more questions. You have our support. Live life, Jakub. It doesn’t matter nothing else”.
Il Getafe tweets “Our utmost respect and wholehearted support”, while “Proud of you, Jakub”, is the tweet of the Barcelona. There is also a message from the official account of the Premier League: “We are with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone.” “Never live with the fear of who you are. We are with you, Jankto”, is instead the tweet, with an emoticon of a heart, of the Milan. Post a rainbow and a heart, like Juventus did, even the Real Madrid. “Thank you Jakub for your courage – writes the Swedish football federation -: being able to openly love whoever you want should be obvious”. From the United States comes the message, again via Twitter, of the Major League Soccer (Mls): “Thank you for sharing your true self with the world. Football is for everyone.”
