Diversity - VfB boss: Coming-outs by active professional footballers will come
CEO Alexander Wehrle of Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart believes that there will be the first coming-outs of active homosexual players in German professional soccer in the foreseeable future. The efforts of associations, clubs and fan groups in terms of diversity are "clearly recognizable", the 48-year-old told the German Press Agency. "I think a lot has been prepared in this country in recent years for active professional footballers to come out. I am sure that this will happen in the coming years - perhaps not by a single person, but by a group."
Former youth international Marcus Urban recently declared his intention to organize such a group coming-out together with colleagues. "That's a very individual decision, which I would encourage, but which I would never demand of anyone affected," said Wehrle, who is openly gay himself. "That's a decision you have to make for yourself."
Should a player approach him, "I would speak positively to him, inform the team and then also sensitize media representatives accordingly that they are welcome to report on it for a day, but should not exploit it forever," explained Wehrle.
January 8 marks the tenth anniversary of the coming out of former national team player and ex-VfB CEO Thomas Hitzlsperger. It caused a huge public stir in 2014.
German Football Association (DFB)
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Source: www.stern.de
