Robbie Rogers comes out as gay: Football world reacts

Former Leeds and Stevenage player and ex-American international Robbie Rogers has announced he is gay after retiring from football at the age of 25.

Rogers, who co-owns a clothing label away from the game, had his contract cancelled at Leeds by mutual consent at the end of the January transfer window.

However, in a blog post on his personal website, Rogers took the unusual step of announcing his homosexuality ? still a relative rarity in the world of professional football.

Despite admitting he had ?lived in fear? as a gay man in a sport that remains full of?machismo, he has received a resounding message of support from former team-mates and football journalists.

Among a plethora of messages directed his way via Twitter ? the medium Rogers used to first publicise his blog post ? were some from American internationals DaMarcus Beasley, Jay DeMerit and Stuart Holden.

All wished him well in his new career and expressed admiration at his courage and strength. Meanwhile journalists continued to marvel at the fact so few footballers have come out as gay, despite suggestions that there are likely to be thousands too afraid to come out because of the likely reaction from the public and fellow professionals.

STORIFY: See below for a full round-up of reaction to Robbie Rogers? announcement on Twitter

Former USA international Robbie Rogers has quit football after coming out as gay ? one of very few professionals to have done so in recent years.

Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/02/15/robbie-rogers-comes-out-as-gay-football-world-reacts-3480062/

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