![\"ryan-atkin\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/ryan-atkin.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n32-year-old Ryan Atkin\u00a0has become the first openly gay<\/a> professional official in English football.<\/span><\/p>\n Atkin will referee games in the National League North and South this season. He will also work as a fourth official in Football League games. He has already provided referee\u2019s assistant duties in EFL matches including the Championship.<\/span><\/p>\n Neale Barry, the Football Association<\/a>\u00a0head of senior referee development, said:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRyan\u2019s declaration marks an important moment in the game and reinforces the fact that refereeing really is open to everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe believes people who are happy in their own skin perform better and I couldn\u2019t agree more. Our role is to support all referees, aid their development, maximize their potential and, above all, help ensure their experiences are positive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Barry added that while \u201chomophobia is still a problem\u201d in soccer, \u201cthings are improving all the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n “Be\u00a0who you want to, and accept someone for who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryan Atkin is the first \u2018out\u2019 professional official >> t.co\/48lhOkJmFx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/U3xlwTL304<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 EFL (@EFL) August 10, 2017<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cYou can change the game and culture by changing your mind,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n Atkin said:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBeing gay<\/a> doesn\u2019t matter in the context of refereeing a football match. But if I am speaking about equality and diversity then I am going to mention that I am gay<\/a> because it is relevant. It is important to be who you want to be, and to be accepted for who you are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Praising Atkin\u2019s announcement, Mike Riley, the managing director of the referees\u2019 body PGMOL, added:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWith the continued support of the FA and PGMOL coaches, he has a great opportunity to realize his ambitions to referee in the EFL and the Premier League.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe are proud to support him in emphasizing that in whatever walk of life, people perform better when they can be themselves, which is a hugely powerful message.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Robbie de Santos, Head of Campaigns at Stonewall, said that Atkin\u2019s decision to come out \u201cunderlines just how important it is that there are allies who are willing to stand up for LGBT inclusion at all levels of sport.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Spanish referee Jes\u00fas Tomillero<\/a>\u00a0(right) received death threats after he came out last year. He quit, later came back again and ended up under police protection.<\/p>\n (Image via YouTube<\/a>)<\/p>\n The post Ryan Atkin Comes Out, Becomes the First Openly Gay Referee in English Football<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\nRELATED:\u00a0Eight Percent of British Football Fans Would Dump Their Team Over a Gay Player<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>According to the\u00a0<\/span>Guardian<\/b><\/a>, English soccer has lagged behind other sports and countries in promoting gay<\/a> referees. Welsh rugby official Nigel Owens, who came out in 2017, was subjected to homophobic abuse when refereeing England v New Zealand three years ago. Two spectators later were banned from the grounds.<\/span><\/p>\n