Former Liberia youth national team midfielder, Andrew Nagbe, was arrested last month by immigration officials at an annual gay pride festival in Stockholm.
On the day of his arrest, the former Monrovia Football Club midfielder was attending the program along with his boyfriend.
Nagbe left Liberia for Sweden in 2013 to attend a trial with Division One team, Umea Football Club. The midfielder failed to impress at the club and was released after no agreement was reached.
Instead of returning to Liberia, the young midfielder remained in Sweden, where he has played for lower league teams.
The 22-year old told the Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, that he wants to continue playing football and live openly gay in Sweden, saying that he would suffer abuse if deported to Liberia.
“Everyone I know in Liberia knows I am gay now, so they won’t hold back,†he said.
Nagbe, who has represented Liberia at the Under-17 level, will be deported on August 23 or may be set free if his club engineers his release.
Featured photo by Libfootball.com