Chelsea star Olivier Giroud opens up on why it’s still impossible for gay players to come out
The sport has created an environment where it is "impossible" to come out as homosexual, believes the France international
OLIVIER Giroud says it's still impossible for gay footballers to come out publicly due to the stigma surrounding homosexuality in the sport.
The Premier League has never had an active openly gay player since its inception in 1992.
Former Aston Villa, West Ham and Everton midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger came out in 2014, but only after having retired from the game.
Robbie Rogers and Justin Fashanu are among the other players to have played in England before coming out.
In 2012, Giroud posed on the front of gay French magazine Tetu and has regularly helped the Premier League raise LGBT awareness.
But regretfully the 32-year-old believes it has become "impossible" to be openly homosexual in the modern game.
"In a changing room, there is a lot of testosterone, rooming together, collective showers. It’s tricky but it’s like that.
“I understand the pain and the difficulty of guys coming out. It’s a real test after working on oneself for years.
"I am ultra-tolerant on it – when I was in Montpellier I was engaged in this fight by posing for [the magazine] Tetu."
For two rounds of Premier League fixtures from November 30 clubs will show their backing for LGBT equality by backing Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign.
The sixth year of support will see rainbow laces worn by players, while a bespoke pitch flag, ball plinth, handshake board and substitutes board will be used to mark the occasion.
Three years ago two players were reportedly considering going public regarding their sexuality, but neither eventually came forward.
And Giroud believes the sport has plenty of work to do to create an environment which accepts gay players.
He added: "At Arsenal when they asked me to wear the ‘Rainbow Laces’ in support of the gay community, I did it.
"There is still a lot of work in the football world on this subject, to say the least.”