In a landmark announcement for Australian sports, former Brisbane Lions footballer Leigh Ryswyk has publicly come out as gay, becoming the first male player in the history of the Australian Football League (AFL) to do so. The 41-year-old shared his personal journey during an interview on the GayFL radio program, broadcast by Melbourne's Joy 94.9FM, revealing that his closest friends have known about his sexuality for the past five years.
A Private Revelation with Public Impact
Ryswyk, who played one game for the Lions in 2005 before embarking on a successful career in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), emphasized his private nature in the interview. He stated, "To people who know me, my closest friends, this is not new. I've been out for five years now. There will be people though, if they do listen to this, it will be the first time they know about this. I'm a very private person, so it's not all over my social media and things like that, and that's fine."
He acknowledged that his announcement might come as a surprise to some, but highlighted the importance of acceptance from those closest to him. "It can be a bit of a shock to some people, they might not know what, but that's life right? In the end, the people who are nearest and closest to me know, and that's what's most important," Ryswyk added.
Support from AFL Leadership and Clubs
The AFL community has rallied in support of Ryswyk's courageous step. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon extended his best wishes, praising Ryswyk for his willingness to share his personal life publicly. "For Leigh to be able to be comfortable sharing his story last night was great," Dillon said. "What we want to have is an environment within our AFL clubs, our AFL industry where people can be their best, be themselves."
Brisbane Lions CEO Sam Graham also expressed solidarity, noting, "It is great to see Leigh share his story and journey publicly. We want our game to be an inclusive environment for everyone including players, staff, members and fans. As a club, we hope this has a positive impact across football and society more broadly."
Building on Previous Milestones
Ryswyk's announcement follows in the footsteps of former West Coast player Mitch Brown, who came out as bisexual last year, becoming the AFL's first openly LGBTQ+ player. Hayley Conway, chief executive of the Pride Cup, commented on the significance of such moments, saying, "It's a huge moment for the game as well as for the LGBTQI community. But it's especially important for all those people and players who haven't been able to see themselves in the game."
Conway further elaborated, "Mitch's coming out showed how the world could respond to any man coming out in sport, and every time something like this happens the way the community, the AFL and clubs respond sets a new standard. We know there is still work to be done, not just around on-field offences, but also people in the comments section saying, 'Leigh doesn't matter, no one cares', but if it didn't matter, men wouldn't still be in the closet. Every time someone takes this step we move forward and it opens the door another crack further."
Career Highlights and Legacy
Born in Victoria and moving to the Gold Coast at age six, Ryswyk joined the Brisbane Lions as a rookie in 2004. After his brief AFL stint, which ended due to a quad injury during his debut against Fremantle, he went on to play 226 matches for North Adelaide in the SANFL and was later inducted into the Queensland Football Hall of Fame.
North Adelaide released a statement supporting Ryswyk, recognizing him as "the first openly gay past or present AFL/SANFL player." The club affirmed, "We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive environment where players, staff, members and supporters from all communities feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves."
Ongoing Efforts for Inclusivity
AFL Players' Association president Darcy Moore highlighted ongoing initiatives to enhance inclusivity within the sport. "We are hearing from men's and women's players that we want more investment with the league on making the league more inclusive for everyone, and we hear that from fans as well in the community," Moore stated.
This historic moment underscores the evolving landscape of Australian rules football, as it strives to become a more welcoming and diverse arena for all participants.
