Adelaide United has said it "categorically rejects" former player Josh Cavallo's claims that he received homophobic treatment at the A-League Men's football club and was benched because he was gay.
"The Club is extremely disappointed by the claims made and categorically rejects the allegations, including any suggestion that Adelaide United is homophobic. All on-field decisions relating to team selection are made solely on footballing grounds," the club said in a statement.
"Adelaide United has always been committed to fostering an inclusive environment for players, staff and supporters and we remain proud of our ongoing work to promote inclusion across football," it said.
Cavallo came out as gay, with Adelaide's support, in 2021, becoming the world's first openly gay active professional male footballer.
The 26-year-old departed the club in May to move to the United Kingdom after limited game time in his final two seasons, and he currently plays for lower-tier Stamford.
Cavallo didn't feature last season and was an unused substitute eight times under then-coach Carl Veart, playing his last Reds game in February 2024.
Cavallo also played just four games in the 2023-24 campaign, having suffered a hamstring strain after recovering from an Achilles tendon rupture.
'People in power blocked my opportunities'
In a post on Tuesday morning — three days before the Reds' Pride Cup against Melbourne Victory — Cavallo hit out at Adelaide.
He alleged his playing opportunities in his final years there were "blocked" because of his sexuality, not injuries, and said teammates had mocked a photo of him and his partner.
"It's taken me a while to digest how my time at Adelaide United ended, but I think the fans deserve honesty," Cavallo wrote on Instagram.
"Leaving the club had nothing to do with football. Decisions were made by people in power that blocked my opportunities, not because of my talent, but because of who I choose to love.
"Under the new management, it became clear that I wasn't allowed on the pitch because of politics.
"It's hard to swallow when I realised my own club was homophobic. I was angry because people thought I was sidelined based on injuries, when in reality, it was internal homophobia that kept me on the bench," Cavallo wrote.
"I stayed professional, kept my head down, and worked hard every day, which I'm proud of.
"Yet no matter how much I produced or improved, my contributions were continuously ignored. It brought a lot of negativity and affected my well-being as a professional footballer."
The Australian Associated Press has contacted Adelaide United for comment.
'I felt incredibly isolated'
Cavallo said the experience made him question whether coming out had been the right decision.
"This was exactly the fear I had about coming out, seeing prejudice affect my career in modern day," he said.
"For the first time, l actually questioned if I should have kept my sexuality a secret. This brought up fears I had about coming out publicly, that being myself would affect my career.
"I felt incredibly isolated and wondered if I'd made the mistake of sharing my story.
"I felt things going backwards, not just on the pitch, but in the one place l thought was a safe space and after seeing a group chat of teammates mocking a picture of me and my partner only added to this heartache."
"This fresh start in the UK has helped me breathe again and I hope I can fall back in love with the sport that means everything to me," the player said.
"Despite the way it ended behind the scenes, I refuse to let it ruin my connection to this city. Adelaide is where I found my wings."
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit qlife.org.au. ReachOut.com also has a list of support services.
Intersex Australians seeking support can visit Intersex Peer Support Australia at isupport.org.au.
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