Hazing is surely much less common in men’s team sports than it used to be, but there can be little doubt that it still happens.
Whatever form it takes — and sometimes the details can be horrifying — the intent is to humiliate the individual who is being hazed. Inevitably, homophobic tropes or at least an odd take on being gay are all in the mix.
These initiation rituals rarely go public but that appears to have been the fate of a professional soccer player in England this week.
Remeao Hutton is a defender who has made a transfer from Swindon Town to fourth-tier rivals Gillingham during this January window.
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In a video that has been leaked onto social media, Hutton can be seen introducing himself, seemingly to his new teammates. He is shirtless and starts by flexing his pecs, referring to them as “breasticles”.
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“Remeao Hutton, 25, from Birmingham,” he says into the camera. “I’ve got a triangle head.
“What am I going to bring to the group? I’m going to bring some gay business. I’m on a gay ting, I can’t lie.”
From there, Hutton’s promises to the “group” become increasingly peculiar.
“I’m going to bring some racism. Obviously, I’ll win everyone over, eventually. Obviously, you might not like it at first. It’s one of them ones, innit?
“And then on some nights out, just trying to bring some things to the table. Try and get you to do a little bit of shagging and that.”
The video continues for another 20 seconds or so. Hutton appears to be confident and in complete control of what he is saying. However, it’s hard to imagine he would have wanted the video to go public.
His new club Gillingham confirmed as much in a statement provided to Mail Sport that read: “We are aware of this private video and we are talking to the player directly.”
Hutton has a private Instagram account and has not addressed the situation himself at the time of writing.
In recent years, the standard soccer initiation in Europe for new signings has been to sing acapella at a team gathering.
Players from Premier League giants Arsenal, Manchester United and Aston Villa are among those to have been caught on camera attempting to hold a tune while their teammates cheer or jeer, depending on the quality of the performance.
Lower down the leagues, the initiations look to be more offbeat, if Hutton’s video is anything to go by.
He made an inauspicious debut for the Gills on Saturday in a 1-1 draw at home to League Two’s bottom club, Forest Green Rovers.
In an article on the club website posted that same morning, Hutton said: “I can’t wait to get going. I spoke to the owners and everyone seems really friendly… I know a few of the lads already, so that was also a factor coming here.”
Did one of those lads stitch him up? It’s impossible to know for sure, but it’s a reminder that hazing hasn’t gone away.
