---
title: "Olivier Giroud discusses “challenge” of homosexuality in football"
canonical: "https://readchelsea.com/2018/11/16/olivier-giroud-discusses-challenge-of-homosexuality-in-football/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Chelsea News"
published: "2018-11-16T08:18:17Z"
modified: "2018-11-16T08:18:17Z"
---

# Olivier Giroud discusses “challenge” of homosexuality in football

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud believes football is still a long way from accepting openly gay footballers.

Homosexuality still seems like something of a taboo subject within the game, despite many other walks of life now embracing it.

Giroud [told](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2806336-olivier-giroud-it-is-impossible-to-be-openly-homosexual-in-football) *Le Figaro* that it is an issue that still exists, with the macho nature of the dressing room environment not helping:

![Jan Kruger/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/156595043.jpg)

> When I saw Thomas Hitzlsperger come out back in 2014, it was very emotional. It was at this time that I thought that it is impossible to be openly homosexual in football.

> In the dressing room, there is a lot of testosterone, teasing and collective showers. It is delicate, but that is how it is.

> I can understand the pain and the difficulty for guys in coming out – it is a real challenge and it takes years of work on yourself.

> When I joined Montpellier, I got involved in the fight for tolerance and was on the cover of \[French gay magazine\] Tetu. At Arsenal, when asked, I wore rainbow laces in support of the gay community.

![](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/952449330.jpg)

It is a sad state of affairs that a gay footballer should still have such a dilemma with regards to coming out.

Sadly, it is understandable why an individual would approach the situation with such trepidation, though, given the reaction that could follow.