On May 3, 1997, Justin Fashanu – the first black £1million footballer and the first footballer to come out as gay – was found dead aged 37 in a deserted garage in East London after committing suicide.
He had hung himself two months after a warrant was issued for arrest after he was accused of sexual assault on a 17-year-old boy in Baltimore, US. His suicide note read: “I realised that I had already been presumed guilty. I do not want to give any more embarrassment to my friends and family.” It was a tragic ending to a chaotic life, riddled with sadness, unacceptable and the overbearing feeling of being unloved. And now, nearly two decades after his death, his sombre story has been told in the fascinating and gripping documentary, Forbidden Games: The Justin Fashanu Story.
Credit: Darke Films
Impossible not to be moved by watching Forbidden Games, it chronicles the euphoric highs and devastating lows of one of football’s most iconic stars, with archive footage of Justin documenting his own life, as well as his famous younger brother John reflecting along with other family members, close friends and colleagues. Justin – the older brother of premier league footballer John Fashanu – was abandoned by his Nigerian father and Ghanaian mother, leaving the two brothers being handed around children’s homes, never feeling they fitted in anywhere.
As Justin forged a career in football, becoming the first ever black player to be signed in a £1million deal with Nottingham Forest, he soon became addicted to the adulation he received from fans – the love he so longed for from his childhood – and his celebrity status sky-rocketed as he became known as ‘Fantastic Fashanu’.
You can read more about the documentary by visiting the Metro website. The documentary is available for download from iTunes.
Watch the trailer
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