THOMAS HITZLSPERGER, Robbie Rogers and Ian Roberts are but a handful of high-profile professional footballers (from different codes) who have successfully come out. But few still do and, in the case of English soccer player Justin Fashanu, it can have tragic results. Fashanu was shamed, vilified, accused of sexual misconduct with minors and eventually took his own life. For gay footballers, there’s a much greater battle off the field than on, and Odd Shaped Balls tackles this in an inspiring one-man production.
It’s not just about coming to terms with sexuality, it’s about doing it in a competitive, alpha-male environment where anything can be exploited as a weakness.
Written by Richard D Sheridan, Odd Shaped Balls follows James Hall, a young, star footballer with the world at his feet. Superficially he’s a typical rugby lad with a steady girlfriend and flourishing career, but when he’s publicly outed by his male ex, James is forced to face his teammates, family, fans and the media. This is a journey of self-discovery in a world where sports and homophobia and inseparable.