February 11 – Casey Stoney, the England women’s captain, says FIFA should not have awarded the men’s World Cups to Russia and Qatar because of their anti-gay legislation.
Stoney has just announced she is gay and says she won’t go to support the men in 2018 and 2022 because she would feel uncomfortable.
“I won’t be going to Russia or Qatar to watch a World Cup because I wouldn’t be accepted there,” she told the BBC.
Russia, currently hosting the Winter Olympics in Sochi, has come under fire for a law banning homosexual “propaganda” while Qatar has strict laws against homosexuality.
Casey, who plays for Arsenal Ladies, said it was “incredible that these countries get World Cups and Olympics”, as she spoke publicly about being gay for the first time.
“I was living a lie,” she said. “I’ve never hidden it within football circles because it is accepted. But to the outside world, I’ve never spoken about my sexuality.”
“How can I expect other people to speak about themselves if I’m not willing to do that myself?” said Stoney who has 116 caps for her country and captained the British team at the London Olympics.
By publicly coming out, Stoney becomes the most high-profile active gay footballer in England. Ex-Aston Villa midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger retired before he revealed in January.
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