I have been working at Cercle Brugge KSV as Kit Manager and Player Care for the A-team in the Pro League since the 2020-2021 season. My responsibilities include the daily support of Cercle's players, assisting them so they can train and focus on their sport. Although I've been working there for two years, I only recently (March 2022) came out as gay.
I mainly decided to tell them because I felt I wasn't always being myself. Some players sensed this too, and I wanted them to know me and know who I really was. I didn't want to hide my sexuality from them anymore. I first spoke to a number of players to see their reaction, so I could estimate what the general reaction would be. The first was Jesper Daland, and I was happy with his reaction. Simply because nothing changed, and that made me feel incredibly good. The next player I spoke to was Hannes Van Der Bruggen, our captain and also one of the players with the most experience in football.
"We need to continue working together to create a world of sport where everyone can be themselves, and I'm happy to be a point of contact for all those young people and other players."
FULL SUPPORT
Within the staff, I first spoke with Sven Vandendriessche, the team manager of Cercle Brugge. I have a very good relationship with him, I learn a lot from him, and he has always supported me during difficult times at work. After that, I spoke with everyone on the staff, and they all stood behind me. They fully supported my decision to tell the players. Finally, I agreed with the staff and Hannes to speak in the locker room on Friday, March 4th. I consciously chose that moment because that weekend in the Pro League was dedicated to fighting homophobic violence in Belgian football. The reaction I received from the players really meant a lot to me. A number of players spoke to me personally, others sent me messages of support.
The entire staff and player group reacted very positively, and that meant a lot to me. The support I received from them gave me a new drive and made me realize that I want to be a kind of confidante for others. Initially, I had prepared myself for a negative reaction, because it is still a taboo in football. So I was especially relieved that the reaction from Cercle Brugge was so positive. Currently, I am the only one who has come out within Cercle, but also within the Pro League. To my knowledge, there are no other players or staff members within the club who have the same feelings as I do, or at least who are not yet talking about it. Through this process, I have realized that I want to become a point of contact for those who have the same feelings and doubts.
JOSH CAVALLO
Robbie Rogers was the first footballer to come out, and that was a huge step in the world of football, but Josh Cavallo is my biggest role model personally. He paved a huge path that was previously very difficult to walk. After his coming out, he also received a lot of support from various quarters, and that can be a support for others to dare to talk about it. Ultimately, he was also my motivation to talk about my feelings. The world of football is still a bit of a 'macho world' where there is still a lot of taboo surrounding sexuality. The Pro League, but also my own club Cercle Brugge, is making a lot of effort to make it discussable. I therefore also think that it can be important that there is a clear point of contact within our football competition to gradually make the subject more discussable.
“I mainly decided to tell them because I felt I wasn't always being myself. Some players sensed this too, and I wanted them to know me and know who I really was. I didn't want to hide my sexuality from them anymore.”
I think team sports are always more difficult, because you're dealing with different players, coaches, and staff, meaning you have to take many factors into account. That makes it harder to dare to talk about it and to be honest. Therefore, I think it's important to support the Pro League's actions and encourage them to continue organizing conferences on LGBTQI+-related violence and discrimination. The same applies to their 'Football for all' weekend, where everything is dedicated to actions against homophobic violence. There's still a lot of room for improvement, but these are steps in the right direction.
Daring to be honest with those around you is a difficult step to take, but the support you receive is a huge relief. People who like you will continue to like you for who you are. Nothing will change about the person you are, and above all, you will be incredibly relieved that after coming out, you can simply be the person you are. We must continue to work together towards a sports world where everyone can be themselves, and I am happy to be a point of contact for all those young people and other players.
___
Follow Pepijn on Instagram