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Cricketer James Faulkner ‘taken out of context’ in announcing same-sex relationship

Cricketer James Faulkner has clarified a social media post in which he appeared to come out as gay, saying it was “a joke that has been taken out of context”.

Faulkner posted a photo on his Instagram page on Monday that suggested he was in a five-year relationship with ‘boyfriend” Rob Jubb.

Had the post been genuine, he would have been the first professional male Australian cricketer to come out publicly.

Faulkner wrote: “Birthday dinner with the boyfriend (best mate!!!) @robjubbsta and my mother @roslyn_carol_faulkner #togetherfor5years”.

Adding to the confusion, current and former teammates all praised the Tasmanian player, who played 69 ODIs and 24 T20Is for Australia, as well as one Test against England in 2013.

Glenn Maxwell wrote, “Happy birthday mate! Great courage,” sentiments echoed by Shaun Tait, who wrote, “Great courage mate, bet you feel better happy birthday.”

Brett Lee added: “Good on ya mate. Have a lovely birthday Jimmy.”

Faulkner has not played international cricket for Australia since a T20I against Sri Lanka in February 2017, but featured in this year’s Big Bash for Hobart Hurricanes, taking 18 wickets.

On Tuesday, Faulkner took to social media again, to say it had all been a “misunderstanding”.

“I am not gay,” he wrote. “Last night marked five years of being house mates.”

-with agencies

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