'Soccer no place for gays'

2008-04-21 18:23

Rome - Former Juventus managing director Luciano Moggi hit out against homosexuals in a bizarre television interview on Monday.

Speaking to interviewer Klaus Davi on programme KlausCondicio, the disgraced former official, who is being tried for a variety of corruption offences during his time in charge of the Old Lady of Turin, launched a rant against gays.

"There are no gays in football, I don't know if players are against having them in their team but I definitely am," he said.

"In the teams where I worked there were never any. I never wanted to have a homosexual player and I still wouldn't sign one.

"I'm old school but I know the ambience of football and a gay wouldn't be able to survive within it.

"A homosexual cannot do the job of a footballer. The football world is not designed for them, it's a special atmosphere, one in which you stand naked under the showers."

There are no openly gay footballers in any of the major leagues in Europe and the only reasonably well known player to have come out while playing was Justin Fashanu, in England back in the 1980s.

Rumours are abound about many players in internet chat rooms but still the subject remains something of a taboo in football.

Former Argentina coach Daniel Passarella was quoted by Argentine newspapers before the 1998 World Cup as saying that he did not want gays or long haired players on his team.

However, he still picked Gabriel Batistuta, despite his unshorn locks.

- SAPA