Czech Republic footballer Jakub Jankto has uncovered he is ‘really happy’ that he can now engage in ‘without hiding or remaining scared’ after he grew to become the initial recent worldwide player to publicly appear out as gay.
The 27-calendar year-aged, who joined Italian aspect Cagliari on a two-12 months agreement in July, unveiled the news in a article on social media in February as he followed the likes of Australian Josh Cavallo and Blackpool’s Jake Daniels in sharing their sexuality.
He wrote: ‘Like most people else, I also want to stay my existence in independence with no dread, without prejudice, without the need of violence, but with love. I am homosexual, and I no for a longer period want to conceal myself.’
The Czech star – who separated from his former partner Marketa Ottomanska, with whom he has a son, in 2021 – opened up about what it is like to participate in soccer these days.
‘It was a big minute for me – but just after 6, seven months, I can say it was not a mistake,’ Jankto explained to the BBC.
Czech Republic footballer Jakub Jankto has claimed he can now perform ‘without hiding’ immediately after coming out
The 27-12 months-outdated discovered he is homosexual in a social media publish in February
He discovered that there were ‘added pressures’ next his announcement in February
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‘If I could do it all over again, I surely would, because it aided myself and I feel it helped quite a few, several men and women. It was a huge instant for all footballers, and lots of qualified footballers at lots of golf equipment wrote to me, thanking me for it.
‘I consider it established a very good, good example for all people, and now I am actually delighted that I can perform without hiding or becoming terrified. I just have on like practically nothing has took place, and that’s actually, genuinely superior.’
He included: ‘When I bought into experienced football groups, being gay was continue to observed as “not usual”, and soccer is however a very little little bit homophobic, I consider.
‘So I was terrified when I was 18 or 19 and following to other men and could not open up messages on WhatsApp, mainly because I always experienced the concern that a person could possibly see a information or a photograph from a person… [however] coming out is what I essential to do to get better.
‘I also imagined to myself: “Properly look, Jakub, you are a expert footballer, but you have your daily life that you have to stay like you want.” And for me, that was basic.’
He also disclosed that there are some additional pressures to becoming the to start with present-day intercontinental player to publicly arrive out as gay, however.
He mentioned: ‘When you receive thousands, maybe millions, of messages from folks saying they take pleasure in me and thank me, it would make me actually content, and the folks were being remarkable.
The Czech footballer pictured in motion through a Euro qualifying match against England in 2019
‘But it does set stress on me. It really is not uncomplicated to be the 1st guy at my stage who says: “Yeah, I’m homosexual.”‘
Jankto, who can play as a remaining-back, midfielder or a winger, began his professional profession at Udinese and produced 69 appearances for the Serie A side just before signing up for fellow Italian club Sampdoria in 2019.
He has scored four plans in 45 video games for the Czech Republic.
In 2021, Adelaide United’s Josh Cavallo grew to become the initial present-day best-flight male experienced in the environment to appear out.
Just one calendar year later on, Blackpool’s Jake Daniels came out as the UK’s only overtly homosexual active male experienced footballer.