Joy of life after coming out: Thomas Hitzlsperger also talks about his time as a professional in which he suffered. Image: picture alliance/dpa
Fear of coming out as a footballer – does that still have to be the case? The barriers among active players have not yet disappeared, but the fans have already moved on. This is what a new documentary shows.
The usual dramaturgy of sports documentaries usually envisages this climax at some point towards the end, where amazing things are accomplished or small miracles come true. Gladly colorful, inspiring and loud. The film “The Last Taboo,” which has been available on Amazon Prime since Tuesday, also follows this pattern, albeit with a rather astonishing climax. After Czech national soccer player Jakub Jankto publicly declared that he was gay, his club Sparta Prague is scheduled to play against arch-rival Banik Ostrava.
The clubs and the Czech league expect severe hostility and insults, the police are alerted, and the coach initially doesn’t dare to field Jankto. And when the midfielder finally comes on, nothing happens. The normality of the moment is touching. Because it shows that some fears about homosexuality can be unfounded and that there is reason for optimism. At least where it matters most: at the grassroots level.
