First openly gay pro footballer says he’s been forced to quit club and move country
Topics: Sport, Football, Sex and Relationships, LGBTQ, Australia
Jen Thomas
Featured Image Credit: Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images
Topics: Sport, Football, Sex and Relationships, LGBTQ, Australia
It should have been a game changing moment, when Joshua Cavallo opened up about his sexuality back in October 2021.
His decision to come out made him the first openly gay pro footballer in Australia, but instead of a surge of acceptance, he found backlash and blocks being placed in his way.
Now, the football ace has opened up about what followed, and how it saw him end up leaving his club and country.
He left Adelaide United, and relocated to England to play for Peterborough Sports, followed by Stamford.
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Josh began the post by confessing: "It’s taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty."
He opened up about his decision to leave, saying it was nothing to do with his talent or skill, but had everything to do with the treatment he received over his sexuality.
"Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love," he revealed.
He pointed the finger at new management, saying: "It became clear that I wasn’t allowed on the pitch because of politics. It’s hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic."
Many fans and members of the public assumed his absence from the pitch was due to injuries, a misunderstanding he said made him 'angry'.
"In reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench. I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day which I’m proud of," he explained.
Josh said despite his best efforts, he felt his work ethic and talents were 'ignored' and he saw his worst fears come to life.
"This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day. For the first time, I actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret," he sadly shared.
"This brought up fears I had about coming out publicly, that being myself would affect my career, I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I’d made the mistake of sharing my story. I felt things going backwards, not just on the pitch, but in the one place I thought was a safe space."
Josh shared a painful moment involving the people who should have has his back, alleging he saw 'a group chat of teammates mocking a picture of me and my partner only added to this heartache.'
He has shared his happiness at leaving Australia, saying it has reignited his passion for football.
"This fresh start in the UK has helped me breathe again and I hope I can fall back in love with the sport that means everything to me. Despite the way it ended behind the scenes, I refuse to let it ruin my connection to this city."
In response to his allegations, Adelaide United shared a statement: "Adelaide United is aware of a statement published on social media this morning by former player Josh Cavallo.
"The club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic. All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds.
"Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football.
"Strengthening inclusivity must remain an ongoing focus for the game, and the club looks forward to hosting the fourth annual Pride Cup this weekend against Melbourne Victory.
"The club will not be making any further comment at this time."