Robbie Rogers, a US international football, who last played for Stevenage in League One (on loan from Leeds United), has announced via a post on his blog that he's gay and he's stepping away from football.
Rogers, who was released by Leeds United last month, speaks of being afraid to come out.
For the past 25 year I have been afraid, afraid to show whom I really was because of fear. Fear that judgment and rejection would hold me back from my dreams and aspirations. Fear that my loved ones would be farthest from me if they knew my secret. Fear that my secret would get in the way of my dreams.
Rogers ends with this upbeat message.
Now is my time to step away. It’s time to discover myself away from football. It’s 1 A.M. in London as I write this and I could not be happier with my decision. Life is so full of amazing things. I realized I could only truly enjoy my life once I was honest. Honesty is a bitch but makes life so simple and clear. My secret is gone, I am a free man, I can move on and live my life as my creator intended.
While not a huge star, openly gay footballers are still very rare, and Rogers is the biggest to have come out in a long while. It will be interesting to see the reaction in England and the USA.
h/t Buzzfeed
