Monday, March 10, 2014

Openly Gay Anton Hysen Signs with Myrtle Beach Mutiny Soccer Team




It what is a surprising and likely interesting move, openly gay European soccer player has signed with Mutiny, a pro-soccer team based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Admittedly, Myrtle Beach is not representative of the rest of the state , but it is still surprising that a team in what is generally viewed as one of the most reactionary states in America would sign an openly gay player like Anton Hysen (pictured above).  Out Sports has details.

Openly gay European soccer player Anton Hysén has signed with the Myrtle Beach Mutiny of the National Premier Soccer LeagueMyrtle Beach, in case you didn't know, is in South Carolina and the team, according to gay4soccer, "are in the fourth division of the American soccer pyramid, on par with the USL Premier Development League, and eligible for US Open Cup competition."

So an openly gay professional soccer player will be playing in South Carolina. Their division features teams across the Southeast. Not only is it supposed to be "impossible" for a professional male athlete to be openly gay, but it's "100% definitely impossible" to do it in South Carolina, Tennessee, George and the like. Yet Myrtle Beach is doing it. Not so impossible, I guess.

Here's the press release from the team:
March 5, 2014, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - The Myrtle Beach Mutiny of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) announced Thursday that they have signed international professional soccer player Anton Hysen for the 2014 season. 

Hysén is an English born, Swedish soccer player who has formerly played for Swedish football club Utsiktens BK as well as the Swedish national U-17 team. 

"I am excited to be joining the Mutiny this season," said Hysén. "This is a great opportunity for me on a personal and professional level. I hope I can help take the team to the top of the NPSL."

"The Mutiny are very excited to have Anton joining us this year," said Pat Piscitelli, sporting director for the Mutiny. "A player of his caliber, with his international experience, will bring a positive change to the Mutiny. The Myrtle Beach area is in for a real treat with this team and will have the opportunity to see professional soccer played at a very high level."
For everything gay and soccer, head over to gay4soccer.com. They do a great job of covering Robbie Rogers and other gay soccer issues and players like Hysen.

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