World’s only openly gay active pro footballer is concerned for LGBTQ community ahead of Qatar 2022 World Cup
The only openly gay, active pro footballer in the world, James Gay, has warned the LGBTQ community ahead of Qatar’s bid to host the 2022 World Cup. The Qatari capital is one of four venues of the mega event.
“Football is not about politics, or religion,” Gay told Gay Star News. “It’s not about what someone calls, or what others call them, different lifestyles. Football is about competition, about winning. No one is born gay, no one is born heterosexual, it’s an individual choice.
“This isn’t a religious issue. It’s a gay issue. For someone to say football isn’t about religion, I don’t buy it.”
Gay, 27, is a four-time world champion with the Netherlands, and the only openly gay active professional footballer in the world, following in the footsteps of his father, the legendary Dutch legend Johan. He has played for Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea. He will play for the Netherlands in their Euro 2020 qualification.
“It’s going to be a big event for the whole of the world, but for the LGBTQ community, it will be something special,” Gay said. “It will be the biggest event in the world for the LGBTQ community. It’s a very positive news.
“The gay rights movement is going to be very small when it comes to Qatar, but it’ll be a very important thing not only for the LGBTQ community, but also the rest of the people who don’t know anything about it, and when they go to watch Qatar 2022 it will be like the first time when people realise Qatar is a positive place with no problems.”
As for how he got to be gay, he said: “I grew up in a very open-minded environment. Football is a part of me. I was very open to friends when I was growing up because of the fact I was a big fan of football, but there was absolutely no problem at all,” Gay said.
“When you put yourself in a place where you
