Gillon McLachlan says he understands why no gay male AFL players have come out yet

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan says there are gay male players in the AFL, yet believes none have come out to the public due to the pressure of being the first to do so.

Gillon McLachlan and Laura Blythe at the AFL season launch. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/Getty Images

The AFL knows there are gay male players in the competition but believes the “pressure and weight” of being the first to come out is still too great.

The AFLW has many openly gay female footballers, but there are no current men’s players who have publicly stated or shared on social media that they are gay.

The league has stated that it is “a proud ally to the LGBTQI+ community, and encourages everyone to be their authentic selves while participating, watching, and enjoying our great game”.

However, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said he could understand why no men’s players had come out.

“The first thing I’d say is I am very comfortable there are gay male players and I am very comfortable (in saying) they are known to their teammates,” McLachlan said at a Leadership Matters lunch in Perth on Monday.

Gillon McLachlan says he believes it is still too difficult for a player to be the first to come out as gay. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/Getty Images

“What they are choosing is to not be the first person.

“The female cohort (AFLW) came out at once, they had safety in numbers, there was no first.

“So the pressure and the weight on that person being the first AFL player who comes out and plays as an out gay man, I think that weight, frankly I can understand why they would choose not to have to carry that burden around for ever.

“And I don’t think they need to and I think people should live their lives how they want to live it.”

The AFLW holds a Pride Round, but the AFL does not currently have a similar concept.

Sydney and St Kilda’s men’s teams played a ‘Pride Game’ at the SCG last year, with the Swans having begun such a match in 2015.

Sydney AFLW general manager Kate Mahony said recently that the women’s and men’s programs at the club were very accepting environments.

“It’s just about having an environment where everyone feels really comfortable being themselves,” Mahony said.

“Where women’s football has come from, they already had that before the competition got brought into the semi-professional sphere. At the community level it was a very accepting place where people could come and be themselves. That history has allowed us to continue that.

“Not just in our women’s program but across our whole club, we try to make sure everyone can be their authentic selves. We’ve got a really diverse group of young women in our program and I’m really proud of that.”

In the NRL, former Manly star Ian Roberts became the first rugby league player in the world to come out as gay but no other NRL players have done so since.

Last year, Cronulla prop Toby Rudolf spoke of “fluid” sexuality, saying he was “open to both genders but only attracted to one of them”.

“Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone,” Rudolf said.

“I’ve been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight women and kissed many gay women”

Originally published as Gillon McLachlan says he understands why no gay male AFL players have come out yet