Gay Swedish footballer Anton Hysen signs for US team
Anton Hysen has signed with fourth division US soccer team Myrtle Beach Mutiny.
The club is based in South Carolina. “I am excited to be joining the Mutiny this season,” Outsports reports Hysen, 23, said. “This is a great opportunity for me on a personal and professional level. I hope I can help take the team to the top of the NPSL (National Premier Soccer League).”
“The Mutiny are very excited to have Anton joining us this year,” said Pat Piscitelli, sporting director for the Mutiny. “A player of his calibre, with his international experience, will bring a positive change to the Mutiny. The Myrtle Beach area is in for a real treat with this team and will have the opportunity to see professional soccer played at a very high level.”
“I am absolutely delighted to have Anton joining us this summer,” said Jack Vandum, head coach for the Mutiny. “Although he is still relatively young in age he will bring great experience to the team having played his soccer at a good professional level in Sweden.”
There are currently no known openly gay footballers in the English and Scottish professional leagues.
Former Leeds and US winger Robbie Rogers came out as gay and quit English football in February 2013.
He later reversed his decision to quit the game and signed for LA Galaxy – but as of yet Rogers has no plans to return to the English league.
Before Rogers’ revelation, only two footballers had publicly said they were gay.
Justin Fashanu was the first professional footballer in Britain to come out and continue playing in 1990, before he took his own life eight years later, aged 37.
