Good article, Dennis Hemphill. If OLO is anything to go by, rather than serving to “lessen public bias against homosexuality”, Akermanis' opinion piece has somewhat ironically brought out into the open the extent to which homophobia persists in football, including its fans.

You may be unaware that this topic has been the topic of a lively discussion over in the 'General' section of the OLO forum for some days, in which such homophobia is on display. The discussion is entitled "Homosexuality and Public Life", and is to be found at

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=3665

Read it and weep.

DHempill,

Maybe you don't follow football. It is not so long ago that Jason Akermanis devoted a full column to criticism of drug testing by the AFL:

"Why not make it a rule that every player on a club list must be tested at least once a year? Surely that would be a start to doing things properly.

At least if they blood test everyone, they'll be able to see if there are blood changes within the year. That might suggest if someone is, or was, using something that could be suss and looked at and target-tested later."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/aker-slams-drug-agency/story-0-1111117309407

There is a whole industry out there pushing for testing at work and in sport. These entrepreneurs make big bucks out of testing and business is good thanks to regular 'shock horror' media stories and an insurance industry with a vested interest in increasing premiums and restricting claims. It is not so much of a jump to demand regular blood screening in sports with any possibility of body contact. The mantra would be that no-one would object if s/he had nothing to worry about.

Jason's comments on homosexuals sensationalised silly scuttlebutt that a purse was offered for the first gay player to 'come out of the closet'. It was really stupid to do the dirty work albeit unintended, of putting pressure on any gay player to disclose himself. Jason was naive and right now he would probably be feeling both used and abused.

It is a common demand from elite athletes that while they accept that their sporting performance and record will be the subject of media reports and stories, their private lives should be respected as private. They are professional players and they would like Aker to show some professionalism too. Aker will have been told that by his Bulldogs team mates and coaches.

The reason why athletes do not discuss their sexuality and sex life is quite obvious, they rightly think it has nothing to do with the public. Of course that doesn't suit some activists or the tabloid media, but so be it.