Igor Benevenuto became the first FIFA-ranked referee to reveal his sexuality as gay. The 41 years revealed this to Globoesporte in a podcast record dropped on Friday. The Brazilian said he is happy to have made this revelation after 23 years of handling the whistle. He further said for those 23 years of active service he could not because of the fear of prejudice and persecution. Igor has now followed in the footsteps of two Scottish referees, Craig Napier and Lloyd Wilson, Blackpool forward Jack Daniel, and Josh Cavallo of Adelaide.
During the podcasts session, he said:
“Football is a sport which I grew up hating deeply,”
“I couldn’t stand the atmosphere, the macho culture and the prejudice disguised as horseplay. To survive among the circle of kids who always used to play, I put together a character, a masked version of myself.
“Football was a man’s game, and from an early age, I knew I was gay. There couldn’t have been a better place to hide my sexuality. But playing wasn’t a feasible long-term option, so I went for the only road open: I became a referee.
“I am 41, and 23 of those years have been dedicated to the whistle. Until today, I’ve never been the real me. Gays are used to not being themselves.
“We tone down our attitudes to not disappoint the hetero world’s expectations. I spent my entire life sacrificing who I am to protect myself from the physical and emotional violence of homophobia. And I entered one of the most hostile environments for a homosexual. That’s why I say that I hated football.”
Benevenuto went on to show his relief that he would no longer have to hide his true self.
“From this day onward, I will never again be one of the other versions of Igor that I created,” he added.
“I will not be the referee Igor character, the character I was for friends, for family, the neighbours, for the straight society.
“I will just be Igor, a gay man, who respects people and their choices. No masks. Just Igor. Without a filter, and finally myself.” became the first Brazilian FIFA-ranked referee to come out as gay.
Igor Benevento became the first FIFA-ranked referee to reveal his sexuality as gay. The 41 years revealed this to Globoesporte in a podcast record dropped on Friday. The Brazilian said he is happy to have made this revelation after 23 years of handling the whistle. He further said for those 23 years of active service he could not because of the fear of prejudice and persecution. Igor has now followed in the footsteps of two Scottish referees Craig Napier and Lloyd Wilson, Blackpool forward Jack Daniel, and Josh Cavallo of Adelaide.
During the podcasts session, he said:
“Football is a sport which I grew up hating deeply,”
“I couldn’t stand the atmosphere, the macho culture and the prejudice disguised as horseplay. To survive among the circle of kids who always used to play, I put together a character, a masked version of myself.
“Football was a man’s game, and from an early age, I knew I was gay. There couldn’t have been a better place to hide my sexuality. But playing wasn’t a feasible long-term option, so I went for the only road open: I became a referee.
“I am 41, and 23 of those years have been dedicated to the whistle. Until today, I’ve never been the real me. Gays are used to not being themselves.
“We tone down our attitudes to not disappoint the hetero world’s expectations. I spent my entire life sacrificing who I am to protect myself from the physical and emotional violence of homophobia. And I entered one of the most hostile environments for a homosexual. That’s why I say that I hated football.”
Benevenuto went on to show his relief that he would no longer have to hide his true self.
“From this day onward, I will never again be one of the other versions of Igor that I created,” he added.
“I will not be the referee Igor character, the character I was for friends, for family, the neighbours, for the straight society.
“I will just be Igor, a gay man, who respects people and their choices. No masks. Just Igor. Without a filter, and finally myself.”
