Tag: referee

'If a single footballer or referee is helped and encouraged by me coming out, my coming out has paid off.' Pascal Erlachner has come out as gay. He is believed to be the first man in Swiss professional football to come out. The referee hopes that his coming out will start public discussion around the taboo of being gay in football. Erlachner came out in an interview with Swiss newspaper Blick. He explained he feels he can come out now as he is comfortable...

An openly gay referee has officiated a professional football match for the first time in England. Last night, Ryan Atkin, who came out earlier this month , was the fourth referee for a game in the Checkatrade Trophy. And the match’s excitement level matched its historic nature, as Stevenage Borough was thrashed 6-2 by Oxford United in the cup game. The referee, who attended Cornwall Pride over the weekend, wrote after the match that it “was an absolute pleasure. ?” Since coming out,...

'Being gay doesn’t matter in the context of refereeing a football match' Ryan Atkin has come out as the first openly gay professional football referee in the UK. The 32-year-old has made the move to take on homophobia in the sport. The match official will be undertaking fourth official duties in the EFL and National Leagues in 2017 – 18. ‘Being gay doesn’t matter in the context of refereeing a football match,’ Atkin told Sky Sports. ‘But if I’m speaking about equality and diversity,...