Number 98 breaks last taboo

NBA player Jason Collins caused a stir in the US this week by becoming the sport’s first active player to come out as gay, writes John Riordan

The answer was right there all along. For months, observers of American sport wondered when a big-time athlete would break down an increasingly absurd barrier: who would be the first openly gay man to compete in one of the big four — the NFL, the NBA, Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League.

Having completed 12 seasons in the NBA, Jason Collins signed with the Boston Celtics towards the end of last year and chose the relatively uncommon number 98. This choice wasn’t motivated by a desire to make it harder for referees to call his many fouls, as he has joked many times during this unforgettable week. It was inspired by something much deeper.