Police Investigating Death Threats Against Josh Cavallo
Image: Images: Josh Cavallo Twitter
South Australian Police are now investigating specific death threats against Josh Cavallo.
According to , the death threats were made via social media. These have come shortly following the hurled at Cavallo on Saturday night at Adelaide鈥檚 A-League Men vs Melbourne Victory match at AAMI Park.聽Adelaide United reportedly requested the investigation.
Witnesses said a section of the Melbourne Victory fans were singing, 鈥渋f you want to stay alive, go home gypsy.鈥�
This occurred following Cavallo colliding with another player. It was at this point that some Melbourne Victory fans taunted him using homophobic language.
Offenders to be Banned from Future Games
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) is investigating what happened during the Saturday night game. It promises to ban any identifiable offenders from attending future matches.
The 22-year-old was the first male professional soccer player worldwide to come out as gay in October last year. He soon after due to that country having laws against homosexuality.
After the Saturday, January 8 match, the central midfielder posted on social media: 鈥淚鈥檓 not going to pretend that I didn鈥檛 see or hear the homophobic abuse at the game last night鈥 will never apologise for living my truth and most recently who I am outside of football.鈥�
— Josh Cavallo (@JoshuaCavallo)
‘The Highest-Profile Men鈥檚 Player in the League’
Nathan Kosmina, CEO of Adelaide United, said Cavallo has received a barrage of abuse via social media since the A-League star publicly came out.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a real resilient young man,鈥� Kosmina said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e spoken often about the courage he displayed in terms of coming out and everything that went along with that, the pressure that was on him as a global voice of the LGBTI+ community was significant.鈥�
Kosmina said Cavallo is now 鈥渁rguably the highest profile men鈥檚 player in the league鈥� and Cavallo 鈥済ets comments from all over the world 鈥� the majority positive, but there鈥檚 an element that is negative. And that is ongoing鈥�.
鈥淚 think where this [incident] went a little too far was the quantum of it,鈥� Kosmina said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 an individual. It was more of a collective voice coming out of that northern stand.鈥�
鈥淓nough鈥檚 enough. I鈥檓 calling this out鈥�, Kosmina said, paraphrasing Cavallo. The Adelaide CEO said he and the soccer club are 鈥渞ight behind鈥� him.
The APL is working alongside the operators of AAMI Park to find the CCTV footage of those responsible for the death threats and slurs.
Cavallo has Received Widespread Support
Cavallo has received support from near and far.
Retired Australian soccer player and sports analyst Craig Foster tweeted: 鈥淢uch love and respect [Josh Cavallo]. To the disgusting abusers, don鈥檛 come back.鈥�
Much love and respect
To the disgusting abusers, don鈥檛 come back.
— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster)
American tennis legend Billie Jean King tweeted: 鈥淛osh Cavallo, one of just a few men鈥檚 soccer players in the world to come out, shares he鈥檚 been targeted w/verbal abuse at a match. I鈥檓 standing beside you, [Josh Cavallo], as you once again use your platform to share the truth. There is no place in our world for homophobia.鈥�
Josh Cavallo, one of just a few men's soccer players in the world to come out, shares he鈥檚 been targeted w/verbal abuse at a match.
I鈥檓 standing beside you, , as you once again use your platform to share the truth.
There is no place in our world for homophobia.
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing)
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd weighed in on the matter, tweeting: 鈥淕ood on Josh Cavallo for calling this out. Nobody deserves to be subjected to homophobic abuse anywhere, including their workplace. I hope the clubs and the codes are taking this extremely seriously.鈥�
Good on Josh Cavallo for calling this out. Nobody deserves to be subjected to homophobic abuse anywhere, including their workplace. I hope the clubs and the codes are taking this extremely seriously.
— Office of Kevin Rudd, 26th PM of Australia (@MrKRudd)
If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.
For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14
For Australia-wide 17c起草社区I peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or .
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It will probably never happen but this is what should take place. The police should find out who the people were who posted those death threats on social media – no-one can permanently hide and if the social media owners won’t reveal their identity then they should be closed down for good. The police should follow up and find, even if just one person out of many, and have her/him charged with Hate Crimes, sent to prison with a minimum $100.000,00 Fine on top and a Life-time ban on attending any sports event – Professional, Amateur and that would include School Sports.
We are told that nothing can be kept secret so the police will have no excuses for doing nothing – which, in all probability, is what will happen.