the coming out of a Brazilian referee who did not like football

Poor footballer turned professional referee Igor Benevenuto, who kicked the ball reluctantly so as not to be called a “little queer” by his classmates, came out publicly last month.

As a teenager, this Brazilian discovered a passion for refereeing: at first it was just a “camouflage” but he is now playing at the highest level. At 41, he no longer hides after deciding to publicly reveal his homosexuality.

A way to free yourself from an “emotional burden”, but also to serve as an example and contribute to the fight against intolerance in a country where homophobia is still very present, especially in the world of football. “I want to show that football is a space for socialization that can accommodate any type of person, regardless of skin color, sexual orientation or any other situation. It is a right that must be respected“, he confides to AFP from his hometown of Belo Horizonte (southeast).

A professional referee since 2009, this man with short brown hair and a grizzled three-day beard regularly officiates in matches in the Brazilian first division.

Since last year, he has been one of the official Fifa referees eligible to be lined up in international matches.

And since 2020, in addition to these activities, he has resumed his nursing profession to join the front line of the fight against Covid-19.

His decision to reveal his homosexuality in the podcast “Os armarios dos vestiarios” (The locker rooms) in July changed his life. “Before, I always had to hide, hide my attraction to men“, he confides. “I was never completely happy, I had few friends, I was afraid that people would ask me questions about my private life. I had depression, I needed counseling because I thought there was something wrong with me“, reveals the Brazilian referee.

“Creating a character that hides my sexuality”

His setbacks began in his early childhood. In his neighborhood, boys who didn’t play soccer were automatically called “fags.” This hostility towards homosexuals made him hate this sport. “Not at all good with the ballhe still played to avoid being kicked out of the group.

In 1994, when the Seleçao won their fourth world title in the United States, the young Igor, 13, mainly remembered the colorful jerseys of the referees, who had for the first time abandoned the traditional black dress in the World Cup.

And rather than playing with other young people in the neighborhood, the Brazilian teenager decided that from now on he would referee their matches. “It was a way to stay connected to football with a kind of camouflage, to create a character that hides my sexuality“, he concedes. “The referee is a symbol of authority, it is he who commands, who dictates the rules. A fairly manly role, even if it remains secondary in this sport“.

This “camouflagebecame a passion, which reconciled him with football. “I’m not crazy about football like a fan who would do anything to see a match. But I learned to appreciate this sport“, he acknowledges.

Take an example from women’s football

The world of football remains no less hostile for the LGBT + community, in a country where attacks on homosexuals are daily and where homophobic songs regularly resound in the stadiums.

“Ihere is a lot of prejudice in football, especially in Brazil. Gay people are afraid of being attacked by supporters, physically or verbally“, denounces Igor Benevenuto. “Some football professionals also fear becoming unemployed, which is why they are afraid to come to terms with their sexuality.“, he insists.

According to him, women’s football, where homosexuality is a less and less taboo subject, is an example to follow. “It’s important to see the Brazilian women’s national team championing this cause, posting photos with the rainbow flag. This is an important step to combat prejudice, which is more ingrained in men“, he believes.

One thing is certain, he absolutely does not regret having revealed his homosexuality: “today, I am at peace with the world of football, everyone supports me“.