Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek denies he’s gay, but supports a player coming out

Chelsea soccer player Ruben Loftus-Cheek denied he was gay, while at the same time affirming his support for any player who did want to come out.

“Any player who came out as gay, they’d have my full support and respect . But the rumor isn’t true,” he said in a tweet.

Rumors about Loftus-Cheeke, 22, being gay circulated on Twitter in a rite that has become familiar in the English Premier League, where no active player has ever come out. Every so often a report from “reliable sources” pops up claiming a player or two will be coming out and it never happens.

I liked Loftus-Cheek’s response since it did not attempt to act as if the rumor was absurd or that there was anything wrong with having an openly gay player. He didn’t really have to say anything, but apparently the rumors were becoming too annoying and he decided to address them.

Response to his tweet was very supportive, with one male fan writing: “If you ever change your mind mate I’ll get rid of the wife.”