Nati star Ramona Bachmann: ‘Homosexuality is still sensitive’

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Christian Finkbeinerfootball boss

Ramona Bachmann, you and the national team are at the World Cup camp in New Zealand for a week. How have you acclimatized?
Ramona Bachmann: The mood is very good. Slowly but surely we all found our way and got used to the cold. The anticipation for the tournament is high.

Dunedin is a sleepy town. Do you sense this expectation among the population?
On Monday there were school children in training with us. And also on the street we are occasionally approached by people who say they go to the stadium to watch matches.

The opening game against the Philippines is getting closer. What is still being worked on?
Most things are settled. Now it’s a matter of getting a good feeling in the workouts.

You married your partner Charlotte Baret shortly before the World Cup. Instead of the honeymoon, you stay at the World Cup.
The wedding date was deliberately chosen. It was always clear that we would honeymoon another time. We have the big wedding party after my birthday at Christmas in La Réunion. This summer the full focus is on the World Cup.

Who applied to whom?
Last summer we went on holiday to the Greek island of Lefkada. As always during the holidays we did a photo shoot together as a keepsake. I announced something special, on the beach, with a picnic.

And that’s where you asked for her hand?
Exactly not. My partner thought the same. But that was the surprise. As we went back and got close to our rental house, I said I forgot something. I had everything ready in the house, with rose petals, candles and a piano player. My partner used to play the piano herself and really enjoys it.

You have always been very open about your homosexuality in public. Why?
I don’t like to pretend, always have been. Homosexuality is still a sensitive issue, also in Switzerland. It’s only been a year since we were able to get married, that says it all. At the time, I consciously chose to come out because I wanted to normalize the subject. Young people should see that Ramona Bachmann is successful and that she likes women – and that is completely normal.

What has that brought about?
Many write to me that I helped them to accept themselves and open up. Thanks to me, they had dared to come out to their parents or their environment, although they really don’t have to. My brother never went to my parents and came out that he likes women.

Do you have negative experiences?
In real life I hardly ever had a bad experience. Once upon a time there was an awkward situation when someone followed us, was always close and stared at us. But it was the only negative experience so far.

And on the internet?
Of course there are negative reactions on social media. Maybe it’s people who don’t live their homosexuality or who can’t accept themselves. Or those who think homosexuality is a bad thing. As if there aren’t any bigger problems in the world than people of the same sex loving each other. I will never understand why someone judges someone else’s sexuality.

What do you do about these negative comments?
They don’t meet me. A lot is also filtered, which is also due to the cooperation with my sponsor. In my family and among friends, however, it is absolutely no problem. I wish it was like that all over the world. But unfortunately we are still a long way from that. I’m trying to do my part to change that.

How does your wife deal with you exposing yourself in public?
I thought it was important from the start that she too openly dealt with this subject in her family. She’s never had a problem with me taking this out in public. But it doesn’t go without saying that she’s behind it.

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You also had a relationship with your country colleague Alisha Lehmann. Can’t private relationships within a team cause gossip?
Every company has relationships at work and football is no different. This is probably also the case with men, but no one talks about it. Women’s football is much more open in that regard. But I’ve never seen anyone handle it unprofessionally.

However, a private relationship can affect the working atmosphere.
If this happens, a club or association must take action. However, in all my teams, I have never seen a private relationship lead to problems.

You are 32. It could be the last World Cup you contest in your career.
It could very well be that I will still be there four years from now when we qualify. I have extended my contract with PSG until 2025. If I am well and healthy, I can well imagine continuing to play.

Is the emotional state similar to eight years ago, when the national team first participated in a World Cup?
The anticipation is just as great, because participating in the World Cup is always a dream come true. Representing our country is very special. I try to enjoy the whole thing and get the best out of it with the team.

Granit Xhaka always says he kept going until the final. And you?
I packed enough stuff to make it to the end (laughs). But I’m realistic. There are countries that are better positioned and generally have better quality than us. The goal is to get through the group stage. You also need luck to get there. But we take it step by step.

At the start of your career, you made headlines with your statement that you wanted to be the footballer of the world one day. Have you ever regretted that statement?
No. This was and is a dream of mine. And dreams should always be pursued in life. I have high expectations of myself and always want to get the best out of it. But trophies with the team are important to me. The fact that there are individual prizes in football is actually special. Even though football thrives on individual skills and the spectators often come to the stadiums because of it.

You have been playing for European top teams for years. But you’ve never won the Champions League. How much does that hurt?
The chance is still there, because I play in one of the best teams in Europe. But you never have a guarantee. There are players who specifically change clubs, but then are eliminated in the quarter-finals. It would be a dream come true, but if it didn’t happen it wouldn’t be the end of the world either.

You have extended at PSG. Wouldn’t a new challenge have appealed to you?
I’ve had the chance, but I feel very comfortable in Paris. The team has a lot of quality and the coach is counting on me. Usually, if I’ve been in the comfort zone for too long, I need a new challenge to develop myself. But I didn’t feel like starting all over again.

Did you also feel at home in Paris because of your partner?
Of course it has something to do with her, but it’s not the only reason. She would have accompanied me everywhere. It is also important that you feel comfortable in your work, otherwise cooperation would suffer.

Can you imagine living in Switzerland again later on?
Switzerland is my home country, my family lives there and there is a good chance that we will also live in Switzerland later. My partner studied finance and economics, she likes my home country very much, especially Zurich. Switzerland has many advantages – apart from the high prices.

After years abroad: what do you notice most when you return to Switzerland?
Switzerland is very well organized, very clean, the training is top notch. There are also very good options for children.

Her wish is to start a family someday. Which of you two wants children?
We haven’t defined it that clearly yet. At the moment this is not an issue. But when the time is right, we would like to start a family. That would certainly be a nice thing.

Source : Blick

Emma

I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.