Los Angeles: Robbie Rogers is joining the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer in another step by openly gay athletes in professional sports. He told The Associated Press his fears about returning to soccer were eased by the strong support he received from family, fans and players, including Galaxy star Landon Donovan. Now Rogers is ready to accept his role as the league's first openly gay player.
"I don't know what I was so afraid of," Rogers said Friday. "It's been such a positive experience for me. The one thing I've learned from all of this is being gay is not that big of a deal to people. People are just really growing and accepting and loving," he added. "Those other things are just not that important to them. I think as the younger get older and the generations come and go, I think times are just becoming more accepting."
The 26-year-old player had retired in February on the same day the former U.S. national team player publicly came out in a blog post. Last month, NBA veteran Jason Collins came out, and Rogers spoke with Collins on the day of the center's announcement.
"I would have thought more athletes would have taken that step, I guess," Rogers said. "People have seen how accepting everyone has been of Jason's and my story. I think it's going to take just more time and more athletes coming out. It's all about seeing that it's not something to be
10:58 PM, May 25, 2013
Miami: David Beckham's impact on soccer always went well beyond his performances on the field and nowhere was that more evident than in the United States where he became the sport's first household name since Pele. Beckham's two Major League Soccer titles are unlikely to feature near the top of his career achievements but he was brought to L.A. Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 on a $6 million a...
09:31 AM, May 17, 2013
The 37-year-old midfielder signed a five-month contract with Paris Saint-Germain, and has agreed to essentially play for free. ...
08:51 AM, Feb 01, 2013
Beckham has been helping LA Galaxy in their bid to sign Brazilian star Kaka from Real Madrid as his replacement. ...
08:33 AM, Dec 01, 2012
David Beckham says he has received a number of offers after he revealed he plans to leave Major League Soccer club the Los Angeles Galaxy, although a move back to England looks unlikely. ...
06:21 PM, Nov 29, 2012
Paris: Paris St Germain have ruled out a move for David Beckham after the former England midfielder announced he was leaving LA Galaxy after next month's Major League Soccer Cup final. Beckham has said he has plenty of "exciting opportunities" to consider once his six-year playing career with the LA Galaxy ends but PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti said the French club had no plans to open the cheque book for...
04:29 PM, Nov 21, 2012
Miami: Former England captain David Beckham, hailed as a success for soccer in the United States, will say his farewell to LA Galaxy in next month's MLS Cup final with one more mission yet to accomplish. It was only in January that Beckham signed a new deal with the Galaxy but his departure, announced on Monday, paves the way for him to enjoy a last hurrah elsewhere while the Galaxy...
02:28 PM, Nov 20, 2012
Former England captain David Beckham will leave LA Galaxy after next month's Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup final but said he intended to continue with his playing career. The 37-year-old midfielder, who has been linked with a move to Australia's A-League, said in a statement: "I've had an incredibly special time playing for the LA Galaxy, however, I wanted to experience one last challenge before the end of my playing...
09:02 AM, Nov 20, 2012
Sydney: Australia soccer chief David Gallop was not surprised David Beckham's management denied he had any interest in playing in the A-League but said that did not mean there was no possibility of it happening. Football Federation Australia (FFA) said on Friday they had been approached by the former England captain's management only for Beckham's representatives to respond by saying the 37-year-old had "absolutely no plans to play in Australia"....
01:06 PM, Nov 17, 2012
London: Resisting the lure of Paris for the sake of his family, David Beckham pledged his future to America's Major League Soccer on Wednesday by signing a new two-year contract with the Los Angeles Galaxy. The 36-year-old midfielder had been courted by leading clubs across Europe in the months before his initial five-year Galaxy deal ran out in December, with Paris Saint-Germain's wealthy Qatari owners offering the most lucrative deal....
08:26 AM, Jan 19, 2012
England manager says Beckham must return to a top European side. ...
10:00 PM, Oct 05, 2009
Mega superstar is alleged to have grappled the neck of Daniel Hernandez. ...
01:55 PM, Sep 15, 2009
The England player has set his sight on a return to Serie A football. ...
12:20 AM, Aug 14, 2009
The Galaxy made a game of it, but the Spanish club claimed the win. ...
02:13 PM, Aug 03, 2009
Donovan had questioned Beckham's commitment to LA Galaxy. ...
09:09 PM, Jul 14, 2009
Landon Donovan's views have been published in
The Beckham Experiment. ...
12:46 AM, Jul 03, 2009
David Beckham recently returned to the USA to rejoin MLS Los Angeles Galaxy. ...
02:11 AM, Jun 16, 2009
Beckham's current deal with the MLS side expires in November. ...
12:10 AM, May 08, 2009
The 33-year-old has agreed to extend his loan spell with AC Milan. ...
12:39 AM, Mar 10, 2009
Some reports claim Beckham may remain with AC Milan until the summer. ...
05:34 PM, Mar 03, 2009
