Gay referee

But I'm not telling an authentic story if I don't say that I'm gay, and that I've had real struggles dealing with hiding that. He added: "I've had issues around my self-esteem - and that relates to my sexuality. I'm gay and I've struggled with feeling proud of being 'me' over a long period of time.

Gay referee says football has to 'drive out hate'

Discussing the events that led up to his sacking, he says his mum died suddenly in and at the same time his uncle was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. In the season, he says he officiated more than 90 games around the world, followed by the European Championship and then the Olympics, and struggled with the pressure and stress of his work, adding: "The physical and psychological demands on match officials is really significant.

He said he wants to "inspire the next generation" of players, officials or even fans and ensure that the sport he loves is a welcome space for everybody. Huw has been with the Professional Darts Corporation for eight years. He said it had been a "tough journey" at times as one of the few openly gay figures in the sport.