Thomas Berling

Thomas Berling (born 21 January 1979) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a defender.[1] His retirement from football sparked media attention.

Thomas Berling
Personal information
Date of birth (1979-02-21) 21 February 1979
Place of birth Drevja, Norway
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Nardo
Lyn
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Lyn 2
1999 Lyn 3 (0)
2001–2002 Drøbak/Frogn
International career
1998 Norway U19 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He hails from Drevja.[2] He played for Nardo FK, and joined Lyn ahead of the 1999 season. He played three games in the second highest Norwegian league,[1] and also played for the under-19 national team.[3]

In 2000, he disappeared from professional football. It later surfaced that he had come out as gay, and that he quit football as a result of what he described as widespread homophobia in the football community.[3] In 2001, he briefly came out of retirement, playing for lower league Drøbak/Frogn IF.[3]

Berling's case was cited several times in the upcoming years, as the connection between homophobia and sport was discussed in the national media now and then.[4][5][6]

See also

References
  1. "Thomas Berling Profile". Lyn Football.net (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  2. "- Homohets knekker potensielle profiler". VG (in Norwegian). 28 April 2001. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  3. "Homohets rammet landslagsspiller". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). 27 April 2001. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  4. Christiansen, Anders K. (12 November 2004). "Reagerer kraftig på Rekdals homoutspill". VG (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 6 June 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  5. Pettersen, Charlotte Lokland; Kleve, Marie; Nordseth, Pål (19 September 2008). "- Håper han blir tatt vel i mot". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  6. Nordli, Øyvind (19 September 2012). "Han merket homohetsen på kroppen" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. Retrieved 15 October 2012.


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