Kamal Ghorui
Nicolas Keenan, Argentina hockey star and partner of Dutch PM-elect, Rob Jetten, reflects on navigating LGBTQ+ identity in the world of international sportROURKELA: In the keenly-viewed, often-forbidding, rough and tumble world of international sports, it takes courage coming out. Argentina midfielder Nicolas Keenan is among the few openly gay players in men’s hockey. The two-time Olympian came out publicly about his sexuality sometime around 2023, when his relationship with Dutch politician Rob Jetten became public.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Leader of the centrist liberal party Democrats 66, Jetten is set to become the youngest prime minister of the Netherlands when his government will be sworn in later this month.Keenan, a regular face on the international hockey turfs of India — the 2016 junior World Cup his first stint here, currently playing the ongoing FIH Pro League — opened up to TOI on what it means to be a professional player from the LGBTQ+ community, FIH’s lack of recognition and how he sees himself as someone who can bring about change in society. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:How does it feel to be part of the LGBTQ+ community as a hockey player, especially since not many players are open about it?Before saying it out loud, it felt a little bit lonely because as you said, not many players were there that I could look up to. But when I started to explain my story, I began getting lots of messages from people in similar situations in hockey, other sports and different walks of life. So, it felt that the community was really supportive and that I was not alone on my journey.Several players, including Nike Lorenz, Mats Grambusch and Kaitlin Nobbs, have worn rainbow bands during matches. How important are symbols like these?I think symbols are important. I wish when I was growing up as a young hockey player, I had more of these around. But even now, as an experienced player, I feel there is a lot of work to be done. It’s nice to see and visualise these symbols, but at the same time, they can feel quite superficial in some ways.How can international sports federations, and the FIH in particular, do more to support the community?If you talk about FIH (International Hockey Federation), I really don’t know who FIH is. I wish I would have heard from them the moment my story came out, but I’ve never been reached. But other federations have reached out to me and I think it’s really important that federations in general try to create safe environments where people feel safe enough to be their true selves.What kind of response did you get from the Argentine and Dutch federations where you play club hockey for HC Klein Zwitserland?The president of the Argentinian federation was the minister that passed the law of equal marriage in Argentina. So, he was one of the first to text me. The Dutch federation has a special group that works on these kinds of issues. They always ask me how they can do better. But I tell them, don’t put all the weight on your shoulders, because it’s not just about the federation or the sport. There need to be changes in society. It’s something deeper.How does it feel to be in a position to inspire others?At the beginning, I was shy. But after I started receiving messages from people saying, ‘You made my day’ or ‘I can finally look up to someone’, I spoke with my partner. It was tricky at first because it made me sad to see so many people going through difficult situations. But after that conversation, I realised that if I can change someone’s day, it also makes mine. It’s not about becoming a figure or trying to reach a certain status. It’s about that young kid who might not even notice it now, but in 10 or 15 years might think, ‘Oh, Nico was there’.Could you tells us a bit about Rob Jetten, your partner, who is going to be the youngest PM in the Netherlands?As a young kid his passion was politics and to help people. So, it’s inspiring to see how he made his way being himself till he reached the top. Even if we come from two completely separate worlds, sports and politics, we have some similarities. Being with him inspired me to be myself and knowing that no matter who I am, who I love, I can still reach the top and be the best version of myself.And what it was like being in Buenos Aires in your youth and how did sport play a role in your growing up?We have a big club culture in Argentina. So, I played for the club Ciudad de Buenos Aires where my parents and grandparents played. It was a safe environment where my parents would just drop me off and I would be there the whole weekend playing different sports, mainly hockey. It’s where I made friends. So, sports for me feels like home. It feels like a safe space I can be in.
