Former soccer player Richarlyson became the first player to act this Friday in the first division of Brazil and in
“Since many people say that my position is important, Today I have decided to speak: I am bisexual (…) Now I want to see if it is really going to improve [la cuestión de la homofobia en el fútbol], because that’s my concern”he said in an interview with the podcast “Os armários dos vestiários” (The locker room cabinets) published this Friday.
The versatile 39-year-old ex-soccer player, who played two friendlies with the ‘Canarinha’ in 2008, he was skeptical that his revelation would have a positive impact against discrimination.
“The world is not ready”
“I am an ordinary citizen, who had a great history in football, but I can’t move mountains to stop these crimes, so that homophobia in football ends,” he assured.
“Unfortunately the world is not ready to have that discussion and naturally deal with it,” he added.
Throughout his award-winning career, in which he won three Brasileiraos (2006, 2007, 2008) and the 2005 Club World Cup with Sao Paulo and the 2013 Copa Libertadores with Atlético Mineiro, the former defender and former midfielder was questioned about his sexual orientation.
Several times he was mocked and discriminated against by fans for dressing wearing sequined shirts, wearing pink clothes or getting hair extensions.
Despite his record and performance, he did not achieve idol status in Sao Paulo.
“It was always me. I wanted to show people that regardless of what they said, I was going to live my life, I would do what gave me pleasure,” he pointed.
“I didn’t want to be labeled because of my sexuality, because I was bisexual. I wanted people to see me as a mirror of everything I had achieved through my work (…) I never spoke because it was not my priority, as it was not today, but today I felt the will to speak.”he added.
Became a commentator after definitively hanging up his boots in mid-2021, Richarlyson drew attention to the difficulties homosexual footballers have.
“The door is going to absurdly close for the player who says he is [homosexual]because that side still exists, which I consider so poor of the clubs, of being in the hands of the organized fans, who are almost always the ones who command this homophobic issue”said.
“The players themselves have to better position themselves on the situation, especially the heterosexuals. It is not a matter of wearing the rainbow shirt. It is to withdraw from the field when an act of homophobia happens”he pointed.
“I’ve had friends and former colleagues who had really tough times during their race for wanting to be that person they really wanted to be, but they were repressed by their clubs or even by their fans”he claimed.
