'Decades of silence': Former footballer comes out as bisexual in Australian Rules first

A former Australian Rules star on Wednesday came out as the first openly bisexual or gay player in the sport's long history, a move hailed as "breaking decades of silence".

Australian Rules traces its roots back to 1858 and is the country's most popular spectator sport, but it has long been scarred by homophobia and racism.

Mitch Brown, who played 94 games for the Perth-based West Coast Eagles between 2007 and 2016, said his bisexuality was a "huge factor" in his retirement aged 28.

No current or former AFL player has previously said publicly that they were gay or bisexual, local media and LGBTQ advocates said.

Brown hopes others will now feel emboldened to follow his lead.

"I played in the AFL for 10 years for the West Coast Eagles, and I'm a bisexual man," Brown, now 36, told youth-focused publication The Daily Aus.

Australian Rules, a dynamic kicking and passing game similar to Gaelic football, is played in a "hyper-masculine environment", Brown said.

Adelaide's Izak Rankine was hit with a four-match ban last week for a homophobic slur against an opponent.

Brown said he became good at hiding parts of himself, not just his sexuality but also "my anxiety, my worries in life, I could bury them so deep".

"It was never once an opportunity to speak openly or explore your feelings or questions in a safe way," he added.

The former player said he had often seen or heard homophobic remarks but had not spoken up for fear of "people thinking that I was gay or bisexual".

He said: "I remember two people having a conversation around how they would feel having a shower next to a gay man, and one of the players said, 'I'd rather be in a cage full of lions than have a shower next to a gay man'."

"I don't believe that this is about me," Brown said.

"It's not about Mitch Brown being the first at all. For me, it's about sharing my experience so others can feel seen."

'Opens the door'

“He’s talking about the problems," said Erik Denison, behavioural scientist with Monash University’s Faculty of Arts, and “talking about the problems as an AFL player”.

“It's one thing for players from other sports to talk about problems in the AFL, or researchers like me or journalists,” Denison said. “It’s another thing for a respected AFL player talking about problems in his sport because he’s one of the guys, he’s one of the blokes and he’s also a recent player. That could mean that his words will have a greater impact than others.”

Having a so-called Pride Round driven by the leading players at the elite clubs and proper messaging from the top level to the grassroots would help the AFL become a more inclusive and diverse for players and supporters, Denison said.

The AFL women's competition has a Pride Round, where all clubs participate, but the Sydney Swans are the only AFL men's club to host a pride game each year.

Brown's comments drew praise from gay rights groups as well as Australian Rules clubs and officials.

Australian LGBTQ advocacy group Health Equity Matters hailed his "strength and honesty".

"For over a century of AFL competition, no male player has identified as openly bisexual or gay," said chief executive Dash Heath-Paynter.

"Mitch's announcement breaks through decades of silence and opens the door for others who may be on their own journey."

"The AFL must do some deep thinking about the measures needed to make the code safe and inclusive for players, officials and volunteers," he added.

The AFL players' union last week called for a "more effective and united approach" in tackling homophobia following Rankine's suspension.

He was the sixth player banned for similar incidents in the past 16 months.

The AFL, the governing body, has acknowledged that more work needs to be done to tackle the problem, without spelling out what was planned.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon praised Brown's "great courage today".

"This is an important moment for him, and for our entire game," he said.

West Coast Eagles called their former defender "courageous".

"His honesty about his experiences reminds us that we all have work to do in creating truly inclusive and welcoming spaces within our game across the country," the club said.

It added: "Thanks Mitch, we are incredibly proud to call you one of our own."

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)