Roberto Bautista Agut has recently spoken out against homophobia in sport to mark International Day Against Homophobia.
Over the weekend, the Spanish world No.15 was pictured wearing rainbow laces in support of the LGBT community. In other sports, most notably football, players have chosen to wear rainbow laces as a symbolic sign of support of anti-homophobia.
“Discrimination based on sexual orientation should not be tolerated in any atmosphere, let alone sport, because it is inconsistent with the values of sport that enhance participation, respect and integration.” Bautista Agut told Cáscara Amarga.
The Spanish player has been a vocal supporter of gay right in his home country. In 2016, he supported a campaign called ‘ A party for all and everyone’ by promoting it on his social media account.
Fiestas de la Magdalena más igualitarias y respetuosas. Orgulloso de mi tierra. #Magdalena2016 pic.twitter.com/zW3Jlnrrqu
— Roberto BautistaAgut (@BautistaAgut) 2 March 2016
According to Portuguese website Bola Amarela, the 28-year-old will also wear a rainbow bracelet during the upcoming Dubai Tennis Championships in the UAE, a country where homosexuality is technically illegal.
There are currently no openly gay players on the men’s tour, despite the sport being perceived as one of the most gay-friendly. In 2013 Roger Federer said that he has no problems with having a gay player on the tour when asked about the subject at the Rome Masters in Italy.
“I don’t think it would be a problem,” Federer said. “We’re very relaxed. We don’t play a team sport and see each other all the time. … We’re very open. So whatever happens, happens. I don’t know if there are any (gay players). So far from what I’ve heard, no. But that could change, possibly because of the case in the NBA.”
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have also voiced their support in the past. Ukrainian player Sergiy Stakhovsky came under fire in 2015 when he said that there was no gay players in the men’s top 100, saying that the tour ‘had a normal atmosphere.’
In the history of tennis there have been few openly gay male players. Bill Tilden, who won seven US Open titles throughout the 1920s, struggled with his sexuality at a time when homosexuality was illegal in the United states. Twice he was arrested for having intercourse with under aged boys. More recently, Paraguayan player Francisco Rodriguez spoke about his personal experience on the tour during an interview with out.com in 2008. Rodriguez reached a ranking high of 373 in 2004 and only won one Futures title in 2003.
