Iker Casillas has been slammed by the Higher Sports Council (CTD) in Spain after his apparent joke that he was coming out as gay on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.
The Spanish legend announced that he was gay, before quickly deleting the post and claiming that he had been hacked, in a gross display of insensitivity in poking fun at what is, for many, a hugely pivotal and emotional moment in their lives.
The 41-year-old’s tweet comes amid questions over his personal life, having been linked with several prominent faces, including Melyssa Pinto, María José Camacho, and former team-mate Gerard Pique’s ex-wife Shakira.
The former Real Madrid goalkeeper has now been subject of a message from the CTD, which is a government agency responsible for the promotion, planning and development of physical culture in Spain.
‘Much to do, to advance, to educate and to raise awareness,’ wrote the Higher Sports Council on Twitter on Sunday. ‘We will continue.’
The action comes in response to Casillas’ original message, which reads: ‘I hope you respect me. I’m gay.’
Iker Casillas has been criticised by Spain’s Higher Sports Council over his controversial tweet
Casillas took to Twitter to send out a blunt message, before quickly deleting it again
The Spanish Higher Sports Council were quick to send out their own message on Sunday
This was later followed – after he swiftly deleted it – by: ‘Hacked account. Luckily everything in order.
‘Apologies to all my followers. And of course, more apologies to the LGBT community.’
To make an already significant lapse in judgement worse, former rival on the pitch but now close friend Carles Puyol joined in on the joke.
The pair played 87 times for Spain together, and won every possible honour with their respective clubs and their country, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Iker Casillas and Carles Puyol have come under fire after comments on social media
The former Barcelona captain poked further fun at the issue, saying: ‘It’s time to tell our story, Iker,’ followed by a heart and kiss emoji.
Their actions have naturally come in for fierce condemnation from all corners of the footballing world, perhaps most notably from Josh Cavallo.
Cavallo, currently playing as a left-back at Adelaide United, became the first active player to come out as gay in October 2021 via video, and has rightly condemned the Spanish legends’ actions.
Reports say the tweet is a response to rumours that he’s in a relationship with Alejandra Onieva
Cavallo wrote on Twitter: ‘@IkerCasillas and @Carles5puyol joking and making fun out of coming out in football is disappointing.
‘It’s a difficult journey that any LGBTQ+ ppl have to go through. To see my role models and legends of the game make fun out of coming out and my community is beyond disrespectful.’
Cavallo was joined by Jose Enrique, who also took to Twitter to criticise Casillas for not only his initial Tweet but his secondary statement. He said: ‘Instead of apologising and recognising the mistake rather lie to everyone’.
Cavallo is currently the most prominent openly gay footballer in world football
Josh Cavallo condemned Iker Casillas and Carles Puyol for joking about coming out as gay
Puyol, who has two children with his girlfriend Vanesa Lorenzo, later published an apology for his role in the matter, claiming: ‘I messed up. I’m sorry for a bad joke which had no bad intention, which was totally out of place.’
Puyol added: ‘I understand that I may have hurt someone’s feelings. All my respect and support towards the LGBTQ+ community.’
Other fans on social media have criticised Casillas and Puyol for their antics online with one tweeting: ‘Homosexuality is not something to ‘joke,’ about in any context.
‘And to do so as two footballing legends with enormous platforms, is so tone deaf it beggars belief.’
Another tweeted: ‘@IkerCasillas you’re an utter disgrace. People kill themselves because they feel like they can’t come out & be their authentic self & u go & do this like it’s some funny f*****g joke.
‘The homophobic abuse is beyond & probably has triggered a lot of people. Grow up you pathetic boy.’
A third said: ‘So in big 2022, the struggle of the lgbtq+ community – especially those trapped in the closet in men’s football – to come out and accept themselves publicly is still just a joke to the stupid straight man.’
A fourth put: ‘High profile, grown men using being gay as a punchline only making it harder for their gay colleagues to be able to come out is disgusting.
‘Football and ‘football twitter’ is just rife with homophobia and it makes me so angry that these two would dare pull a stunt like this.’
Meanwhile several other football fans and members of the LGBTQ+ have taken to Twitter to call out the former Real Madrid goalkeeper. Some have even trolled Casillas.
