David Testo is latest professional footballer to come out as gay
Professional football player David Testo is the sport's latest star to come out as gay.
Peter Lloyd at 10.03 GMT
Friday, 11 November 2011
Thirty year-old Testo, who played for Montreal Impact of the United Soccer League, came out yesterday in an interview with CBC Radio-Canada.
“I really do regret not coming out publicly earlier,” the former midfielder said.
“It’s like carrying around a secret, you know, and carrying around luggage and just never being allowed to be yourself.”
According to the Toronto Star, Testo said he had wrestled with making his sexual orientation public for a long time. He added that he was also regrets not thanking his partner as he accepted the team’s most valuable player award in 2009.
“The one person I wanted to thank the most, I couldn’t,” he said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable at the time.”
“On a daily basis I had to constantly be aware of the things I said, who I said it to,” he said. “I think players around me had to, too. That sucks, as a human being. It would have been a lot easier to get into a field where everything is accepted.”
In response, the president of Montreal Impact Joey Saputo said in a statement:
“David Testo’s declaration is in fact very personal. We knew David’s orientation prior to him joining our club from Vancouver in 2007.
“During his career in Montreal he has always been a professional and dedicated player to this club on and off the field. His decision to go public must have been a difficult one and we respect it.”
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