'I'm fally myself' - Brazil's Igor Benevenuto be first FIFA referee to e out as gay | US

Contents:

• OPENLY GAY PRO-FOOTBALL REFEREE AMANDA SER-COOK WILL BE PART OF DIVERSE XFL OFFICIATG CREW
• IGOR BENEVENUTO BE FIRST FIFA-RANKED REFEREE TO E OUT AS GAY
• 'I'M FALLY MYSELF' - BRAZIL'S IGOR BENEVENUTO BE FIRST FIFA REFEREE TO E OUT AS GAY

OPENLY GAY PRO-FOOTBALL REFEREE AMANDA SER-COOK WILL BE PART OF DIVERSE XFL OFFICIATG CREW

Steve Strimlg is breakg more ground as an out gay football referee, this time leadg the entire group of officials for the upstart USFL. “The articl I read about other gay people sports each say how much they helped others, ” he told me at the time. The league will employ seven female officials, cludg Amanda Ser-Cook, who ma history last year as the first openly gay referee to work a major profsnal football league, when she served as a center judge for the short-lived Alliance of Amerin Football.

Openly gay Pac-12 official Steve Strimlg is the ordator of officials, mirrorg the role he held the AAF. Adriana GarciaJul 9, 2022, 06:29 AM ETBrazilian referee Igor Benevenuto has bee the first FIFA-ranked referee football history to e out as gay. Benevenuto, 41, announced durg a Globoporte podst that he is gay and exprsed his joy that he is fally ready to be a statement to GloboEsporte, FIFA said: "FIFA wel and supports referee Igor Benevenuto and his cisn to e out.

IGOR BENEVENUTO BE FIRST FIFA-RANKED REFEREE TO E OUT AS GAY

But Ser-Cook is breakg new ground as the first openly gay official to work a major natnal profsnal football league, last year the short-lived Alliance of Amerin Football and this year the XFL. The head of officials for the Atlanta chapter of the Natnal Gay Flag Football League was there, heard me, and suggted I e help out on the weekends.

“Sce I me out at 20, [beg gay] on the field has never been an issue, and has never been a terrent, ” he said. [avatar er=”lewisj163″ size=”thumbnail” align=”left” /]Football Zebras wrer Josh Lewis has officiated adult flag-football leagu, cludg the Natnal Flag Football League of Atlanta, the Chigo Metropolan Sports Associatn, the New York Gay Football League, and the Natnal Gay Flag Football League. GettyThe adms that he had been forced to hi his te self for more than 20 years orr to f wh his peers the sportBrazilian referee Igor Benevenuto has bee the first FIFA-ranked referee football history to e out as gay, as he laid bare his stggl wh the sport's "macho" culture over his years on the pch.

'I'M FALLY MYSELF' - BRAZIL'S IGOR BENEVENUTO BE FIRST FIFA REFEREE TO E OUT AS GAY

"Football was a man's game, and om an early age I knew I was gay. Gays are ed to not beg themselv. I spent my entire life sacrificg who I am to protect myself om the physil and emotnal vlence of homophobia.

And I entered one of the most hostile environments for a homosexual. "I will jt be Igor, a gay man, who rpects people and their choic.