The player of the Czech soccer team
Jakub Jankto
, 27, declared his homosexuality on his social networks on Monday and became one of the first professional soccer players to do so publicly.
"I'm homosexual, and I don't want to hide any longer
," said the footballer on his Twitter account on loan from Spain's Getafe to Sparta Prague last year.
"Like everyone else, I have my strengths and my weaknesses"
, indicates the player in a 44-second video in which he intends to "encourage other people" to take the plunge and live their lives without having to appear different from what they are .
Likewise, Jankto claims his desire to live his
"life in freedom, without fear, without prejudice, without violence, but with love."
Before, he briefly recalled his life and professional career:
"I have family, I have friends, I have a job, which I try to do the best I can for years, with seriousness, professionalism and passion".
Jankto is not having a good season at Sparta and his private life is in turmoil after separating from his wife.
Before the announcement on Monday, the player had also appeared in the heart press with a new partner.
Jankto, an international for his country's senior team since 2017 (45 matches), played between 2014 and 2021 for Italian Calcio (Ascoli, Udinese and Sampdoria), and then in the First Division with Getafe, until after an injury he was on loan to Sparta from his hometown.
Getafe's message
Getafe
issued a message of
"maximum respect"
towards Jankto through its social networks after the player's announcement on Monday that shook an environment in which very few dared to take the step that the Czech footballer took.
"Our utmost respect and unconditional support for our footballer Jakub Jankto"
, asserted the Madrid club, to which Jankto arrived in 2021 and played fourteen games until he was loaned to Sparta Prague last year.
The Czech club acknowledges that its footballer "spoke openly about his sexual orientation with the board of directors, the coach and his teammates at the club some time ago."
"Everything else refers to his personal life. There are no more comments. No more questions. You have our support. Live your life, Jacob. Nothing else matters," says Sparta.
Source: EFE
