Josh Cavallo: Adelaide United midfidler receives "daily" death threats after coming out as gay four years ago
An openly gay footballer says he has been receiving death threats “daily” - and believes it is making it harder for other athletes to be open about their sexuality.
In 2021, Adelaide United midfielder Josh Cavallo came out as gay after being “tired” of not being his true self. Very few athletes, and even fewer footballers, have done the same - with Blackpool star Jake Daniels being the only British male footballer to come out in more than 30 years.
But since coming out, Carvallo has been subjected to torrential abuse, both on the pitch and over social media. Some of this has even come from his own club’s fans, and despite support from coaching staff he has found the past few years difficult, with “multiple” death threats each and every day
Now, he fears the abuse he endures could be stopping other footballers from being open about their own sexuality.
Speaking on the Fifpro Footballers Unfiltered podcast, he said: “There’s multiple death threats that come my way daily still - in the world of football, being an openly gay player is a very toxic place. It’s something not everyone would be able to handle and go through.
“We’re a very, very long way off acceptance in this space. So, these are factors that people will consider in their coming out and they might not be out now, but coming out brings all this attention, it brings all this pressure, brings all this negativity that will affect their game in the long run.
“Absolutely come out, be yourself - but it also comes with a mountain of downsides as well that I don’t think people realise. I was tired of being hidden and tired of having to go around and hide from people and not live my authentic self. I understand that now looking back, all the negativity, all the things that come your way.”
Cavallo has played 52 games for Adelaide United, bagging four assists but not yet finding the back of the net himself.