Homophobic insults to Cavallo, the footballer who had come out

“Love will always win”. Josh Cavallo is convinced of this, who on Instagram denounced the homophobic insults received, on the Italian night, during the Australian championship match between his Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory. Last October he came out, becoming the only professional footballer in the world (of a top league) openly gay. He had received acclaim from everywhere, from Ibrahimovic to Piqué, but yesterday he was a victim of the public of Melbourne’s Aami Park: “I will not pretend not to have seen or heard the homophobic abuse during the match – reads Cavallo’s post on Instagram -. There are no words to say how disappointed I was. This shows that as a society we still have to address these problems in 2022 ”.

the message

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The Australian player, whose family has Italian origins, added: “Such a thing should not be acceptable. More needs to be done against those responsible. Hate will never win. I will not apologize because I am living my true nature and who I am out of football for ”. And then some advice. “To all the young people who have suffered homophobic abuse, I tell them to keep their heads up and continue to pursue their dreams. Know that there is no place in football for this: it is a game for everyone, no matter who you are, what color your skin is or where you come from “, said the 22-year-old, who in yesterday’s match (ended 1- 1) took over in the second half (6th appearance in this A-League). Cavallo, who complained that he was also targeted on Instagram, launched a message on the social platform: “I don’t want any child or adult to receive the hateful and offensive messages I have received. I knew I was going to run into this. It is sad that Instagram is not doing enough to stop these messages ”.

Sanctions on the way

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The reaction from the Australian football world was immediate. The Australian Professional Leagues have confirmed that they are working on the case with the two clubs and have promised penalties for those responsible. “There is no place for bullying, harassment or abuse in Australian football – we have zero tolerance for this harmful behavior. We want a safe and welcoming A-League for everyone.” Cavallo said he was grateful for the support of the people who took a stand. during the match and for the positive messages it received thereafter. Melbourne Victory added that “football is a platform for uniting fans, regardless of their background. And spectators who have violated these standards will be banned from future matches.” Adelaide United concluded: “We are proud to be an inclusive and diverse team.”