Cyclist Graeme Obree agrees with
footballer Philipp Lahm; both say gay athletes are better off in the
closet.
In his new memoir A Subtle
Difference, Lahm, the captain of Germany's Bayern Munich football
team, denied rumors he's gay and advised gay footballers against
coming out.
“I would not advise any gay
professional footballer to come out.”
“I would fear that he could end up
like Justin Fashanu who after he outed himself was driven into such a
corner that he ended up committing suicide,” the 27-year-old Lahm
added, referring to the first professional player in Britain to come
out during his career. In 1998, while living in Maryland, he was
accused of sexual assault and later committed suicide.
On Tuesday, Scottish cyclist Obree, who
is openly gay, agreed in comments with The
Scottish Sun.
“I don't think
being gay and an active sportsman is a good thing,” Obree, 45,
said.
He added that he
knows footballers who are gay: “There are SPL footballers who are
gay, I know that for a fact.”
“But if I was in
their position there is no way I would come out. It would be too
awkward in the dressing room. You need to be retired first. Even
now I wouldn't do coaching because it's still an awkward situation.”
Obree, who after
twice breaking the world hour record was inducted into the Scottish
Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, came out in January. But he said two
attempts at suicide were linked to his sexuality.
“I was brought up
thinking you'd be better dead than gay,” he said.