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FOOTBALL

First footballer in Spain’s La Liga comes out as gay

Czech international midfielder Jakub Jankto, a player for Madrid's Getafe football team, said on Monday that he was gay in an emotional video on his Twitter account.

Published: 14 February 2023 10:10 CET
First footballer in Spain's La Liga comes out as gay
"Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom, without fears, without prejudice, without violence, or with love," Jankto said.(Photo by Laurence Griffiths / POOL / AFP)

“I am homosexual and I no longer want to hide myself,” Jankto said in English.

Only a handful of top players have publicly come out as gay while still playing.

Justin Fashanu came out in 1990. Josh Cavallo, at Adelaide United, came out in October 2021 and Jake Daniels did so at English side Blackpool in May 2022.

Jankto, a 27-year-old winger on loan at Czech top-flight side Sparta Prague from Getafe, became the first player attached to a club in La Liga to come out.

“Like everybody else, I also want to live my life in freedom, without fears, without prejudice, without violence, or with love,” he added.

“I have a job and I have been doing it as best as I can for years, with seriousness, professionalism and passion,” said Jankto.

Sparta Prague said Jankto had previously told the club and his team-mates about his sexual orientation.

“Jakub Jankto spoke openly about his sexual orientation with the club’s management, coach and teammates some time ago,” said the club on Twitter.

“Everything else concerns his personal life. No further comments. No more questions.

“You have our support. Live your life, Jakub. Nothing else matters.”

Getafe also offered their support.

“Our maximum respect and unconditional support to our footballer Jakub Jankto,” wrote the Madrid side on Twitter.

The top football bodies also threw their support behind Jankto, just like several football clubs.

“We’re all with you, Jakub. Football is for everyone,” tweeted FIFA.

“Well done, Jakub. You’re a true inspiration, and European football is with you!” said UEFA.

“Proud of you, Jakub!” tweeted La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Jankto, who has also played for Udinese and Sampdoria in Serie A, has played 45 games and scored four goals for the Czech national team.

He has a three-year-old son, David, with his ex-girlfriend with whom he broke up in 2021.

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CORRUPTION

Spanish govt to ‘oversee’ scandal-hit football federation

The Spanish government decided Thursday to create a commission to 'oversee' the country's scandal-hit football federation (RFEF) and try to pull it out of crisis.

Published: 25 April 2024 16:22 CEST
Spanish govt to 'oversee' scandal-hit football federation

“The Spanish government adopted this decision to redress the serious situation of the RFEF so that the organisation could enter a stage of renewal in a stable climate,” the National Sports Council (CSD), an agency dependent on the Ministry of Sports, announced.

Spain are set to host the 2030 World Cup along with Portugal and Morocco, but in recent months the RFEF has lurched from one embarrassment to another.

The CSD said it will create a “commission of supervision, standardisation and representation” led by “independent personalities” which will “oversee the RFEF during the coming months in response to the federation’s crisis and in defence of Spain’s general interests”.

According to the Spanish press, former Spain coach and 2010 World Cup winner Vicente del Bosque could be one of the members of this commission.

Former RFEF president Luis Rubiales resigned in disgrace last September after his forcible kiss on the lips of Women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso and is now being investigated in a separate corruption probe.

The only candidate to replace Rubiales, Pedro Rocha, is also being investigated, while a report from the country’s leading sports court said the RFEF had taken decisions “beyond its remit”.

One such decision was the renewal of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente’s contract in February.

It was the sport court’s report that led to Thursday’s CSD decision to oversee the federation.

Elections for the RFEF presidency are currently scheduled for May 6th.

The Secretary of State for Sport and CSD president, José Manuel Uribes, on Thursday urged the RFEF “to limit its functions to the mere ordinary administration of the entity, as required by law”.

‘Unacceptable situation’

The CSD will meet again next Tuesday to analyse the situation and make a ruling, if necessary, on the corruption case opened by the sports court against Rocha, who took over from Rubiales on an interim basis.

In a year when RFEF will be responsible for Spain’s teams at the European Championship and the Olympic Games, the Spanish government is aiming “to restore the reputation, the good name and the image of Spanish football and complete the electoral process with a renewed assembly for the 2024-2028 period,” said Uribes in the CSD statement.

“We have to look after what we have in the future, the immediate future, which is the planning of the World Cup,” Uribes said in an appearance at Spain’s Congress of Deputies.

He pledged that the government will do everything to sort out the “unacceptable situation” at the RFEF.

Uribes also said he was “in constant communication with FIFA” regarding the RFEF.

“The CSD is going to guarantee that Spanish football maintains its excellence at the sporting level and also stands out as exemplary at the institutional level,” Uribes insisted on Thursday.

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