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[[File:Justin Fashanu.jpg|thumb|Justin Fashanu]]'''Justin Fashanu''' (Justinus Soli Fashanu, 1961–1998) was an English professional [[football|footballer]], the only professional footballer in the UK (and so far one of only two or three in the world) to come out as gay. 

Justin and his brother John were the sons of a Nigerian barrister living in England. The parents split up and the brothers were sent to a Barnardo's home.

Justin Fashanu began his professional football career in 1978 with [[Norwich]] City. In 1981 he transferred to [[Nottingham]] Forest (becoming the first black footballer to command a million-pound transfer fee) but the Nottingham Forest manager, Brian Clough, discovered his homosexuality and barred him from training with the side. In 1982 he was lent to [[Southampton]], and then sold to Notts County for only £150,000. He moved to [[Brighton and Hove]] Albion in 1985.

Following a knee injury he went to the United States for surgery, and later played for various teams in the USA, Canada, England Scotland and Sweden.

In 1990 he came out as gay in an interview with ''The Sun''.<ref>''The Sun'' 22 October 1990 "£1m Football Star: I AM GAY</ref> He was disowned by his brother John, and several former football colleagues said that gay people had no place in a team sport.

In 1992 there were tabloid reports of his relationship with [[Coronation Street]] star [[Julie Goodyear]].

In March 1998, while living in Ellicott City, Maryland, he was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old man. He was questioned by the police but returned to England without being charged. On 3 May 1998 he was found hanged in a deserted lock-up garage in [[Shoreditch]] (he had broken into the garage after visiting [[Chariots]] sauna). He left a suicide note saying "I realised that I had already been presumed guilty. I do not want to give any more embarrassment to my friends and family."<ref>''[[Gay Times]]'' issue=237, June 1998: "Suicide note increases speculation over death of Justin Fashanu</ref>

==Legacy==
In 1997 Justin Fashanu was listed at number 99 in the Top 500 Lesbian and Gay Heroes in ''[[The Pink Paper]].<ref>''The Pink Paper'', 26 September 1997, issue 500, page 15.</ref>

The [[Justin Campaign]] has been founded in his memory, to campaign against homophobia in football, and a football team, the [[Justin Fashanu All-stars]] was named after him in 2009.

==References==
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[[Category:Footballers]]
[[Category:Suicides]]
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]