Once told to stay hidden, gay former FIFA referee thrives at his first Gay Games
Gay pro referee Igor Benevenuto, commended by FIFA when he came out, talks to Outsports about officiating at his first Gay Games.
Mark
Four years ago, Igor Benevenuto became the first active FIFA-ranked male referee from South America to publicly come out as gay.
The Brazilian’s courage earned him acclaim from FIFA, with world soccer’s governing body saying at the time that “Igor striving to be true to himself is an important moment for football in Brazil and in other countries around the world.”
Since then, Benevenuto’s career and life have undergone significant changes.
In 2024, he announced he was moving to the United Arab Emirates to take a job as a video assistant referee (VAR) in the top-flight Adnoc Pro League.
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The 45-year-old is still working in the U.A.E. but has just completed a stint officiating in the 11-a-side soccer tournament at his first Gay Games in Valencia, Spain, as part of the IGLFA (International Gay and Lesbian Football Association) team of referees.
“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been here,” Benevenuto told Outsports, “and give visibility to the LGBTQ community.”
Outsports caught up with Benevenuto in Valencia for a Q&A…
Hi Igor, and thanks for speaking with us. You shared your story with the world in July 2022 — what has life been like for you since coming out as gay?
Igor Benevenuto: 2022 was a milestone in my life — a real turning point. Thank God, everything is great; being able to live freely without having to play a character or be someone else is liberating.
I was very apprehensive, but I was warmly welcomed and received a lot of support. I’ve reaped great rewards — new friendships, new job opportunities, and so far, everything has been going very well.
At the time, FIFA sent a message of support — it said your coming out was “an important moment for football in Brazil and other countries in the world”. How do you assess the situation in professional men’s football for gay and bisexual men now?
Men’s soccer remains a highly homophobic environment where being openly gay is complicated. In fact, I don’t know of a single active player who is openly gay or bisexual.
However, things are evolving. I see situations being exposed, challenged, and debated today that previously went unaddressed, and there is increasing opportunity, visibility, and openness in the men’s game.
Women’s soccer in Brazil has grown significantly and has become a space where it is more accepted and normalized for players, coaches, and others to be openly gay. This has contributed positively to shifting the landscape in men’s soccer as well, albeit slowly.
I believe it will still take a long time for players, in particular, to openly come out, largely due to issues with fans, career prospects, homophobic executives, and various other factors.
It’s a truly sad situation — something that shouldn’t be an obstacle to living one’s life — because there are undoubtedly many gay and bi players forced to live in an emotional and mental closet. It is terrible; they are destroying themselves from the inside out, and often the lives of others, too, as many get married simply to hide their true identities.
Yet, things are gradually changing. Today, we have openly gay referees and club executives. This is a massive step forward and a crucial breakthrough — essential for demonstrating that competence and quality of work are not measured or evaluated by sexuality, but rather by dedication, character, and professionalism.
You have been a referee at the Gay Games in Valencia. How did you get involved in this?
For me, being at the Gay Games was a privilege, especially considering that a few years ago, in my hometown of Belo Horizonte, there were gay sports competitions. I was invited to officiate, but was advised against it to avoid trouble and public exposure.
That was a truly terrible situation, but today I’m incredibly happy and honored to have been in Valencia.
I received the invitation from Ryan Atkin, who saw news reports from 2022 and reached out to me via Instagram, and I officiated at the Gay Games with great pride.
What has your experience in Valencia been like?
It’s been great — a beautiful, welcoming city. So far, I’ve made new friends and met incredible people and visited wonderful places; I’ve been working hard but also enjoying myself a bit.
For me, experiencing this for the first time, everything is going well. Of course, there are always details and some issues regarding organization that need to be addressed or improved, but overall, it’s been very good.
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Why are LGBTQ sports events like the Gay Games still important?
These events are important for providing visibility, opportunity, and freedom to people who are largely marginalized — living in hiding or feeling imprisoned — and who often lack the means to live openly and showcase their qualities, skills, and talents, as doing so could expose them to serious trouble.
Here, we can all be free and live fully, with joy, and without fear, labels, or prejudice. It’s also important for bringing greater visibility to the LGBTQ community on a global scale, showing society that we exist, that we are ordinary citizens, and that we’re capable of competing on equal footing in any sport.
At the same time, while I view this as necessary, it’s deeply saddening that such an exclusive competition has to be created. Without it, these individuals would never find a space or opportunity in society.
Recently, Outsports covered the four out gay players on the Brazil national men’s volleyball team — this is very unusual in elite men’s sports. How does seeing this representation make you feel?
I feel incredibly happy and represented. This is a massive and essential paradigm shift. Listening to them, you realize the magnitude of this — and the suffering involved in having to live hidden away and marginalized.
You see that they all faced emotional struggles and mental battles; Douglas even had to step away from the national team to improve his mental health. People have no idea how terrible, painful, and destructive it is to live life inside a cage — trapped, unable to live freely and authentically.
They deserve so much credit, and I am incredibly proud of them, because they show society and the world that we belong everywhere, that we possess quality and competence, and that we are winners.
You are no doubt supporting Brazil at the World Cup. There has also been the first out gay match official at a men’s World Cup in Brooke Mayo, and a “Pride Match” in Seattle. How do you feel about this World Cup?
Of course, I’m following it, and I hope Brazil wins the championship. I was very happy to hear about the “Pride Match” that took place — despite threats from teams refusing to play or walk off the pitch — because it was excellent that FIFA stood firm and refused to accept that kind of ultimatum.
There is still a lot of room for progress on this issue, but these are small steps that will transform an environment that is extremely homophobic.
You can follow Igor Benevenuto on Instagram at @igorjbenevenuto42.
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