The one player who did come out was Justin Fashanu – he committed suicide eight years later after suffering abuse that, according to the coroner, contributed to his death.
This week a group of Fiorentina players were asked about the subject of gay footballers.
The goalkeeper Sebastian Frey acknowledged that, as things stand, football is one of the few industries left in which homosexuality would not be accepted.
"In the world we live in fans already attack wives and girlfriends so imagine what would happen if someone came out," he said.
"They would massacre him. Banners, chants…It would be hell."
Last season, for the first time in England, homophobic chanting became an offence. Whether that has made any difference or not is doubtful - it seems that in the game's ultra-macho culture (earrings, man-bags, West Ham fans singing about "pretty little bubbles", languorous embraces on the pitch), homosexuality is still football's ultimate taboo.
Gay players still a taboo in football
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -
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