This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
Published on June 15, 2020, Watford striker Troy Deeney has sparked a conversation about the presence of gay players in football teams.
Deeney, who has been vocal about his support for the LGBTQ+ community, suspects that gay footballers are worried about the scrutiny that would follow if they reveal their sexuality while still playing.
Speaking on the BBC's Grounded with Louis Theroux podcast, Deeney stated, 'I would go on record saying that there is probably one gay or bi-person in every football team. They're there, they are 100 percent there.'
He believes that one top player coming out would lead to others following their lead, saying, 'I think once the first comes out, there would be loads. Just because they don't want to be the face of it.'
Deeney also acknowledged that some players would fear criticism, but he thinks the current era is a good time for sportsmen to declare if they are gay, citing the 'bigger platform than ever' for athletes to be open about their sexuality.
Former Norwich and Nottingham Forest striker Justin Fashanu, who declared he was gay in 1990 and died in 1998, remains the only openly gay male footballer in British history.
