Tom Harald Hagen pays tribute: – He also sends signals to the players

– It is important to show that soccer and sport are for everyone. And that there is space to participate and contribute in Football Norway no matter who you are. This is an important point, says Inge Alexander Gjestvang, leader of FRI, the association for diversity of gender and sexuality.

On Sunday Tom Harald Hagen (42) judged Vålerenga-Kristiansund, where Flamur Kastrati called Dag-Eilev Fagermo “a fucking street sweeper”. The next day he appeared as a gay man in the local Glåmdalen newspaper.

Hagen: – It is the pinnacle of irony.

– On the male side of the soccer community, for many years there has been a desire for someone to come forward if they are gay. Many clubs have said “this is space for us”. For many, it has probably been long overdue, knowing that there may be media coverage and little attention to sports achievements. The fact that a high-level judge is now standing out as gay, I think is very positive, says Gjestvang.

– Send signals to players too

Norwegian men’s football has been more or less devoid of profiles that have emerged as gay. The FRI leader believes that Hagen’s openness can help facilitate a similar situation for others.

– I also think that this sends some signals to the young referees, but also to the players in another way, who see that there is room here to be all of me. Also on the soccer field, says Gjestvang.

TV 2 Sport commentator Mina Finstad Berg says it’s tough and cool that Hagen is now choosing to stand out as gay. She believes that this will be a litmus test to see if it is true that there is room for everyone in football.

– There is respect for the choice you make now in light of yesterday’s case. Norwegian fan clubs have said that there are no problems with gay players. Now it will be exciting to see how it goes. The judges shit a lot at the beginning, but I think they will do well. Now there is so much attention around the problem that I think everything will be positive, he says.

Berg says this is simply a very important day for soccer.

– It is incredibly positive that there are now concrete models to follow. There has been a shortage in men’s soccer. You can talk all you want, but it is difficult without examples. Now this may help young people wondering if there is a place for gays in soccer, says the TV 2 sportscaster.

– Thank you!

On social media, Hagen’s tribute stone is online. Gjert Moldestad, who is a spokesperson for the Norwegian Supporter Alliance and even gay, believes this can be of great help to others.

– We need examples to show us that it is okay to be openly gay in men’s football. Thank you! I myself have been open about my guidance for a while and it has gone very well. I have received a lot of encouragement from my friends in the stands and in football for the rest. I hope you experience the same, writes Moldestad. Twitter.