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Blackpool FC’s Jake Daniels has come out as gay in a televised interview today, becoming Britain’s only active openly gay professional player.
The 17-year-old is only the second top-flight British football player to come out and she made the move in a bid to tackle the scourge of homophobia in the sport.
Daniels was ‘keen to break the stigma’ and has become the only openly gay male pro currently playing in the country, and the second in the world in a trailblazing moment for the men’s game.
Speaking in an interview with Sky News, he said: ‘I just processed and processed every day about how I want to do it, when I want to do it and I feel like now is just the right time – you know I feel like I’m ready to tell people about my story.
‘I want people to know the real me and lying all the time just isn’t what I wanted to do.
‘It has been a struggle but now I do feel I am ready to be myself and be free and just be confident with it all.’
Daniels, described as ‘an inspiration to us all’ by the Prime Minister, is the first Briton in the men’s professional game to come out publicly as gay since Justin Fashanu in 1990 at the age of 29.
He told Sky Sports: ‘It’s been quite a crazy year. I’m 17. I’ve signed a professional contract. I’ve scored 30 goals this season and I’ve just made my first team debut in the Championship, coming off the bench against Peterborough.
‘And now I have decided to come out. Everything has happened at once but it feels right. When this season started, I just wanted to prove myself as a player. I think I have.
‘So this was the one last thing in my head that I knew I needed to do. Now it’s out, and people know. Now I can just live my life how I want to and you know what? It’s been incredible.’
Pictured: Blackpool FC’s Jake Daniels, who is just 17 years old, has come out as gay in a televised interview today
Speaking to Sky Sports (pictured above), 17-year-old Jake Daniels said he felt the time was right and he was ready to come out
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Source : dailymail
