Tonight: ESPN Special: Gay & Lesbian Athletes Now! Homophobia & Sports to be Covered in Hour-Long Program Will Air & Re-Air in USA

Compiled by GayToday ESPN will explore homophobia in sports and the experience of gay athletes in next Wednesday's Outside The Lines special: The World of the Gay Athlete (aired December 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET.) It will re-air five hours later: 12:30 a.m. ET Thursday, December 17 (9:30 p.m. PT Wednesday, December 16). The one-hour program will compare the difference of being openly gay and lesbian in team sports versus individual sports, and profile gay athletes. Hosted by Bob Ley, Outside The Lines: The World of the Gay Athlete will include the following segments: Are there gay athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, or Major League Baseball? If so, why are they not openly gay? Openly gay men interviewed include: Dave Pallone (former MLB umpire); Ian Roberts (Australian Rugby Star); Greg Louganis (former Olympic diver); Dave Kopay (former NFL player). – Greg Garber (This segment will also include a nationwide poll on sports fans' attitudes toward gay athletes.) Greg Louganis Homophobia in women's sports – This segment includes an interview with a lesbian professional female athlete in a team sport: Boky Vidic, a two-time First Team All-Pac 10 basketball player at Oregon State who played last season in the ABL. Martina Navratilova Also interviewed is Pat Griffin, author of Strong Women, Deep Closets: Lesbians & Homophobia in Sports. Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King are also included in this segment. Other Segments: Rumors – How rumors of being a gay man affect male athletes. Leigh Steinberg – The sports agent discusses the rumors surrounding some of his unmarried NFL clients. The pressures on a high school athlete – A profile of a high school football player confused about his sexuality. Profile of Oberlin College's Mike Muska – The first openly gay athletic director. The Gay Games – A look at this competition. Anonymous College Athlete – An interview with a male college varsity athlete, whose identity will not be revealed, on the difficulties of being a gay athlete. Prior to Outside The Lines:The World of the Gay Athlete, the "Cover Story" on the 6:30 p.m. SportsCenter will be a profile of Dave Kopay, the first NFL player to come out after his retirement. Outside The Lines: ESPN's Outside the Lines series debuted in 1990 and has covered a wide variety of topical subjects in sports, including steroids, gambling, race, religion, sex, memorabilia fraud, sportsmanship and the influence of gangs. The series has won eight Sports Emmy Awards, three CableACE Awards and the Center for the Study of Sport in Society's Excellence in Sports Journalism Award for Breaking the Line – Jackie Robinson's Legacy. Related Stories in GayToday's Archives: Patty Sheehan Comes Out In Golf World Reggie White: How Do Others See Him Related Sites: ESPN Greg Louganis: Official Site GayToday does not endorse related sites.

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