Robbie Rogers, first openly gay male to play profsnal sports U.S., announc retirement - Los Angel Tim

Contents:

• ROBBIE ROGERS: WHY G OUT AS GAY MEANT I HAD TO LEAVE FOOTBALL
• ROBBIE ROGERS, FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL ATHLETE US PRO SPORTS, RETIR
• ROBBIE ROGERS TAK FIELD AS 1ST OPENLY GAY MALE PLAYER U.S. PRO SPORTS MATCH
• US SOCCER PLAYER ROBBIE ROGERS COM OUT AS GAY, RETIR
• GAY SOCCER STAR ROBBIE ROGERS ON HIS MEMOIR, BOYIEND GREG BERLANTI AND LOCKER ROOM TALK
• ROBBIE ROGERS BUTS FOR LA GALAXY, BE FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE U.S. PROFSNAL TEAM SPORTS
• ROBBIE ROGERS, FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE TO PLAY PROFSNAL SPORTS U.S., ANNOUNC RETIREMENT
• ROBBIE ROGERS: FIFA FAILS TO SUPPORT GAYS
• GAY SOCCER STAR ROBBIE ROGERS RETIR OM LOS ANGEL GALAXY

ROBBIE ROGERS: WHY G OUT AS GAY MEANT I HAD TO LEAVE FOOTBALL

He left Leeds "by mutual nsent" three months then beme only the send gay footballer Bra to e out public.

Try explag to your loved on after 25 years you are gay. Rogers will bee a symbol and a spokman but 's important to remember that, more than jt a pneerg gay footballer, he is a 25-year-old man who stepped out of the shadows of his secret history.

I'm the middle child so [Rogers lghs] I was sted to be gay. ' I realised I was gay when I was 14 or 15.

ROBBIE ROGERS, FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE PROFSNAL ATHLETE US PRO SPORTS, RETIR

But there are no gay footballers.

ROBBIE ROGERS TAK FIELD AS 1ST OPENLY GAY MALE PLAYER U.S. PRO SPORTS MATCH

I'm gay.

US SOCCER PLAYER ROBBIE ROGERS COM OUT AS GAY, RETIR

Photograph: Jamie Sab/Getty ImagIn England, Rogers beme acutely aware of the impossibily of beg a publicly-out gay footballer. How did he react when homophobic quips were ma – even though his team-mat were obliv to his sexualy?

GAY SOCCER STAR ROBBIE ROGERS ON HIS MEMOIR, BOYIEND GREG BERLANTI AND LOCKER ROOM TALK

"Yet there is also somethg diseased at the heart of profsnal football – epomised by s attu towards homosexualy. Addg the gay aspect don't make a great cktail.

Maybe a lot of fans aren't homophobic. In the past I would have said: 'They don't know I'm gay so don't mean anythg.

"It would be credibly powerful if a gay footballer uld face down that hate and abe – jt as black sportsmen like Jackie Robson and Muhammad Ali stood up to racism Ameri. Are people g to see you bee you're gay? '"If you're playg well will be reported as: 'The gay footballer is playg well.

ROBBIE ROGERS BUTS FOR LA GALAXY, BE FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE U.S. PROFSNAL TEAM SPORTS

' And if you have a bad game 'll be: 'Aw, that gay du … he's stgglg bee he's gay. '"He be thoughtful when asked if he knows any gay footballers.

Even now, one of my bt iends said: 'Do we know anyone else football who uld possibly be gay? No footballer has sce said to me, 'Robbie, thank you, I'm gay too…' I don't know if anyone will.

ROBBIE ROGERS, FIRST OPENLY GAY MALE TO PLAY PROFSNAL SPORTS U.S., ANNOUNC RETIREMENT

"Many gay men, surely, are playg profsnal football? "Could he image a young gay footballer knockg on his manager's door to ask for advice?

ROBBIE ROGERS: FIFA FAILS TO SUPPORT GAYS

There would have been that mentaly: 'Oh he's gay … how will that affect the team?

'"The way which Fashanu was treated has been a bleak warng to any gay footballer. Obvly they're not homophobic but they'll say: 'Don't pass the ball like a fag. Do make a difference, if you're gay or straight, as to how you pass the ball?

There's the stereotype of a gay man beg soft and flamboyant. "About a month ago I would've thought: 'I don't want to be a spokman for gay footballers.

GAY SOCCER STAR ROBBIE ROGERS RETIR OM LOS ANGEL GALAXY

He might not f the gay or the football stereotype. "I'm sayg all this wh a gay dog stg on my lap.