Jan van Halst believes Dutch football still has plenty of ground to make up on gay acceptance. The pundit said as much to De Telegraaf during the Canal Parade in Amsterdam on Saturday.
"There is still work to be done, I think. In my eyes it is still a conservative macho culture. It is getting better all the time. People are working hard on it," the former footballer said, though he still looks to the future with optimism. "All kinds of organisations are working on it. So that is encouraging."
"But every time you think you are there, it starts all over again. We have to keep working on it," said Van Halst, before being told that players in the Netherlands never come out.
"In the Netherlands I don't know. Worldwide, yes," Van Halst replied. "But very often only after their career. Apparently there is still something to do with pressure, and safety is not there. That is one of the things that really needs to be worked on. Because that really cannot be the case."
To some extent, Van Halst can understand why footballers do not dare to come out. "You should not underestimate what comes with that. From my own perspective, I can say: you have to take the first step. But just try putting yourself in their shoes."
"And I am not even talking so much about the dressing room. Because in my experience it is not too bad there. People just make jokes. About bald heads, and where you come from. But it is more the environment around it. The public, the press. There is still real work to be done there."
Finally, Van Halst addressed whether he knows any homosexual players. "No. Honestly, no. If you are talking about professional footballers. They may already be filtered out. That they do not feel comfortable. And drop out earlier, before they go into professional football. That could be the case."
"And of course that is serious. This is about safety. Apparently that is still not sufficient for everyone, to give access to professional football," said the pundit, who still hopes for better times for homosexual players. "You should never give up that hope. And that is what days like this are good for. To keep creating awareness. Hopefully that will one day also be translated into football."