#DiversityWins- Interview with Jesús Tomillero
EFDN is supporting the Football v Homophobia Action Month as part of its Show Racism the Red Card Europe programme. Have a look at our programm website and social media for updates on interviews, news and practical tips on promoting diversity in football.
The first interviewee is Jesús Tomillero. He is a Spanish former referee and founder of Roja Directa LGBTI, which is a non-profit association that defends the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
He was the first football referee in Spain to declare himself openly gay, being the first Spanish and European professional referee to declare it publicly. After making it public, he received all sorts of insults on football fields and death threats on social media.
In his book, “Volar sin barreras” (“Flying without barriers”), Jesús tells his story and all the obstacles he faced on football fields and in his personal life, after coming out in football.
In the Show Racism the Red Card Interview, he explains why he had to quit his referee career and how is supporting others and promotes diversity now. Read the full interview here.
