Thomas Berling | |
Birth Date: | 21 February 1979 |
Birth Place: | Drevja, Norway |
Height: | 1.79 m |
Position: | Defender |
Youthclubs1: | Nardo |
Youthclubs2: | Lyn |
Years1: | 1999–2000 |
Clubs1: | Lyn 2 |
Years2: | 1999 |
Clubs2: | Lyn |
Caps2: | 3 |
Goals2: | 0 |
Years3: | 2001–2002 |
Nationalyears1: | 1998 |
Nationalteam1: | Norway U19 |
Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
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.
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]