France’s scrum-half sensation and World Rugby Player of the Year, Antoine Dupont, has voiced his concerns about the challenges LGBTQ+ athletes face in the sport.
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In a heartfelt interview on the French program "Les Rencontres du Papotins," Dupont addressed how the stigma surrounding homosexuality still affects the game. It’s a conversation worth tuning into, but here are some key takeaways.
‘Rugby Would Be Ready to Accept Them’
The France captain didn't hold back when discussing the struggles players might feel about coming out. “It's very slow,” Dupont remarked.
“We, for example, in professional rugby, have only one player who has come out. While I think that, statistically, there must still be others.” Despite the hurdles, Dupont reassured, “We would be ready to accept this without any problem.”
A Peek Into His Personal Life
When quizzed about relationships, Dupont humorously noted, "I don’t have children. I don’t have a girlfriend, because that’s life (smiles). I don’t have a boyfriend either."
While keeping things light, he made it clear that his life remains focused on rugby and family.
Injury setback
The scrum-half sustained the second cruciate ligament tear of his career—this time to his right knee—during round four of the Guinness Six Nations against Ireland, forced off the field at the Aviva Stadium after just 28 minutes.
Tensions between France and Ireland have flared in the aftermath, with head coach Fabien Galthié slamming the clearout by Tadhg Beirne and Andrew Porter as "reprehensible."
"From my point of view, the act was reprehensible. There are ways to study and analyse it," Galthié told France 2 TV.
"Our hearts go out to him. He's in pain, and we share in that pain."
Heartbreak Behind the Headlines
Dupont also shared a deeply personal story about his family, particularly the loss of his father. “My dad died last year … he had been in a vegetative state for eight years,” he revealed. “He was in a centre. And he passed away last year.”
For years, Dupont balanced his meteoric rise in rugby with the pain of seeing his father in a prolonged state of illness. It's a tragedy that shaped his journey, making his triumphs all the more remarkable.
Hearing him speak openly about such emotional experiences reminds us that even the world's best athletes carry burdens off the field. It’s a reminder that behind the record-breaking tries and trophy-lifting moments, real, raw human stories often lie.
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5 and out proud rugby players:
While World Rugby is taking a firm stance on inclusion and diversity, there are many personalities who have been paving the way for this inspiring movement.
1.Nigel Owens
All fans, players, and anyone who knows anything about rugby will know the name, Nigel Owens. Besides having the record for most test matches refereed, Owens has earned a reputation as one of the top rugby referees around the world.
The Welshman is also a TV personality and a devoted activist for the LGBT cause, winning "Gay Sports Personality of the Decade" at the Stonewall awards ceremony in London back in 2015.
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