U.K. rugby star Ben Cohen on Tuesday
told MSNBC host Thomas Roberts that he expects a gay athlete to come
out at the height of his or her career to effect the most people.
Cohen, who recently retired, is touring
four U.S. cities in two weeks to promote greater acceptance of LGBT
people and end homophobia in the world of professional sports.
“I passionately believe [if] someone
is going to come out in sport, they need to do it at the top of their
game. That will be the most effect that will have to the public,”
Cohen told Roberts.
“I think that by doing it too early
could cost you your job. Wrongly. Very wrongly, it could cost you
your job. I think, if you're going to create a following, because
you will, because people will look up to you as a famous sports
person, as a world-class sportsman. Then, you're better off coming
out on top of your game.” (The video is embedded in the right
panel of this page.)
Cohen's Standup
Foundation in the U.S. will be based out of Atlanta.