Italian club Ascoli Calcio on Tuesday
expressed support for their former player Jakub Jankto after the
Czech Republic midfielder became the first active player in
senior international men's football to come out as gay.
"Forza Kuba! We are with you and we will support you always,"
said Ascoli in a statement.
The 27-year-old got his break in senior professional soccer with
Ascoli in Serie B in the 2015/16 season.
He went on to play for Udinese and Sampdoria in Serie A and he
is currently at Sparta Prague, on loan from Spanish side Getafe.
"When we saw the video in which you came out, declaring to the
world your homosexuality, we felt a pang to the heart, not
because of the content of the video - can a person's sexual
orientation be a problem in 2023? - but because we saw your eyes
welled with years at the end after saying 'I'm gay and I don't
want to hide it any more'," Ascoli said.
"Right after that sentence you looked to the sky as if you had
freed yourself of an insupportable burden.
"We at Ascoli Calcio and the people of our city admired your
skills on the field, your professionalism and you desire to get
ahead in the 2015/16 season".
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