TV presenter Alessandro Cecchi Paone claims there are gay players in Italy’s 30-man provisional World Cup squad.
The journalist who is currently running for office in the European Elections has previously suggested there were several gay players in Serie A who were keeping their sexuality a secret.
TV presenter Alessandro Cecchi Paone claims there are gay players in Italy’s 30-man provisional World Cup squad.
The journalist who is currently running for office in the European Elections has previously suggested there were several gay players in Serie A who were keeping their sexuality a secret.
Today he told IBTimes that “unfortunately the football world is a very homophobic universe, a place where machismo has to be exhibited.
“I can assure you that within the locker rooms the sexual orientation of players is known and accepted.”
Cecchi Paone was asked whether there were any gay players of the current 30-man provisional World Cup squad.
“Yes, there are. Don’t ask me for names, because they are covered by privacy laws and it would also be in bad taste.”
Italy provisional World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Mattia Perin (Genoa), Salvatore Sirigu (Paris Saint Germain);
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (Milan), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Matteo Darmian (Torino), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Gabriel Paletta (Parma), Manuel Pasqual (Fiorentina), Andrea Ranocchia (Inter);
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (Roma), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Thiago Motta (Paris Saint Germain), Marco Parolo (Parma), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus), Romulo (Verona), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint Germain);
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Antonio Cassano (Parma), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Mattia Destro (Roma), Ciro Immobile (Torino), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Giuseppe Rossi (Fiorentina)