Leo Varadkar has added his voice to those in support of teenage footballer Jake Daniels after he bravely came out as gay yesterday.
The Blackpool forward is the first active British male footballer to come out publicly since Justin Fashanu.
He spoke about how acknowledging his sexuality to those around him has been a massive weight off his shoulders which has led to him feeling comfortable enough to come out publicly in the hope that it will encourage others within football who are hesitant to do the same.
He told Sky Sports News: "Now is the right time to do it. I feel like I am ready to tell people my story. I want people to know the real me.
"I have been thinking for a long time about how I want to do it, when I want to do it. I know now is the time. I am ready to be myself, be free and be confident with it all."
He also added: “For a long time I've thought I would have to hide my truth because I wanted to be, and now I am, a professional footballer.
"I asked myself if I should wait until I've retired to come out. No other player in the professional game here is out.
“However, I knew that would lead to a long time of lying and not being able to be myself or lead the life that I want to.”
His announcement has been met with a wave of support from across the football world.
And even leading figures from outside of sport such as the Tánaiste have hailed his courage for going public.
He said: "This is a big moment. First English professional footballer to say he’s gay in 32 years & he’s done it at the start of his career.
"He’s tackling head on the risk of homophobic abuse from some ‘fans’ in the stands, on-line and on the streets."
In a follow-up tweet he also commented: "He will be role a model for tens of thousands of young men. Fair play and hats off."
Irish women's captain Katie McCabe also issued a strong message of support for Daniels.
The Arsenal star, who is in a relationship with international teammate Ruesha Littlejohn, tweeted: "Jake, all the love and respect for the incredible courage you’ve shown the world in simply being who you are! I’ve no doubt this will inspire so many more people."
Hopefully Jake's bravery will lead to more sportspeople, particularly in men's sport, feeling ready to follow suit and announcements like this will no longer be so rare that they're headline news.
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
