Football
PA Sport 7y

Great Britain football fans would support openly gay players - poll

The majority of football fans in Britain would have no issues with an openly gay player at their club, according to a survey.

Last week Football Association chairman Greg Clarke told a Department for Culture, Media and Sport select committee he "would be amazed'' if there were not a gay player in the Premier League and felt "ashamed'' that to date no one had been confident enough to publicly reveal their sexuality.

But Clarke added he also believed an openly gay Premier League player would be subjected to "significant abuse'' from supporters and he would be "cautious'' about advising a player to come out until anti-gay abuse could be stamped out.

An online poll of more than 4,000 people across England, Wales and Scotland, conducted by a research company on behalf of BBC Radio 5 live, found 82 percent of football fans said they would not have a problem with an openly gay player at their club.

Eight percent, though, said they would not watch their team if there was an openly gay player in the side.

The survey also reported 61 percent of football fans believe gay players should come out to help others do the same, while 71 percent feel clubs should do more to educate supporters about anti-gay attitudes.

Of the survey sample, 50 percent said they had heard anti-gay abuse at a sports match, with 51 percent saying they have heard sexist abuse at a match and 59 percent saying they have heard racist abuse.

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