When professional footballer Viktoria Schnaderbeck heard about the anonymous coming-out of a colleague from the British Premier League, she was determined to take responsibility herself and position herself publicly.

In an open letter published in mid-July in the tabloid newspapers The Mirror and The Sun, among others, a gay British Premier League player spoke of his fear of a public outing. In football it was still not possible to speak freely about homosexuality (we reported).

For professional footballer Viktoria Schnaderbeck, the anonymous coming out of her colleague was the impetus to make her own story public. On her blog Schnaderbeck published an open letter on August 9th, with which she wants to “make a contribution and take responsibility”. Because

“although the wishful thinking of an emancipated, developed and tolerant society exists, reality is still strongly marked by prejudices, taboos and heteronormative attitudes”.

Viktoria Schnaderbeck, who herself says that until a few years ago she was unable to stand by her sexuality because she felt ashamed and guilty, also knows that coming out requires a great deal of courage and, not least, overcoming. Only now, writes the 29-year-old captain of the Austrian national football team (ÖFB), does she know,

“that sexual orientation is not important at all. That it doesn’t matter which gender I love. What matters more is that I love.”

Schnaderbeck, who is currently playing for Arsenal London, came out in December 2019, when she posted a photo with her partner on Instagram – a conscious decision, she recalls: “I felt ready and wanted to put an end to the little lies. I wanted to live unrestricted and liberated and be 100% myself.”

After her public outing in December 2019, the 29-year-old posted this photo with her partner on Instagram.

Homophobia in football

Coming out was not an easy step, Schnaderbeck writes: “I am in the public eye and have a certain fan base”. Even though homophobia plays a smaller role among women than in men’s football, it was clear that the media and fans would react – “but not to what extent and in what form”.

Homophobia in professional football has a tradition. The statements of the former coach of the Austrian national football team Otto Barić are a good example. In 2004, Barić told the Swiss newspaper Blick that his players had to be “real guys”, and a little later he told the Croatian paper Jutarnji List that homosexuals were “abnormal”. Because of this and similar statements, the European football association UEFA sentenced Barić to a fine of the equivalent of 1,825 euros.

Nowadays, hardly anyone would use this wording any more, at least not publicly. There are also more advisory and support services for players who want to come out. And yet the situation for players has not changed in essence. “That misses the point. What those who run the game need to do is educate the fans, players, managers, agents, club owners – basically everyone involved in the game,” the anonymous footballer demanded in his letter.

Like the anonymous footballer, Schnaderbeck also demands more education and a broad social discourse. “The more we talk about it,” she writes, “the sooner we create a framework where people no longer have to be ashamed. A framework where taboos on sexuality are broken and stigmatised ways of thinking are discarded.”

“In the 21st century there can be no place for homophobia, racism, sexism or any other form of discrimination. Our planet – including the football stadium – should be a place for diversity, inclusion and fairness.”

Please follow and like us: