Ian Roberts (rugby league)

Ian Roberts (born 19 March 1965) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. He played primarily as a second-row forward, but also at lock. Roberts is notable for being one of the first high-profile Australian athletes to come out as gay, doing so in 1995.

Roberts played club football for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, and North Queensland Cowboys in the Australian National Rugby League (NRL), and for Wigan in the English Rugby Football League. He represented New South Wales in State of Origin and Australia at international level.

Roberts began his professional career with South Sydney in 1986. He quickly established himself as a powerful and aggressive forward, earning representative honours for New South Wales in 1990. He moved to Manly-Warringah in 1990, where he played a key role in the club's success, including premiership victories in 1990 and 1996. He played for Wigan in 1997 before finishing his career with North Queensland in 1998.

In 1995, Roberts publicly announced that he was gay, making him one of the first openly gay athletes in a major Australian sport. His announcement was met with both support and prejudice. He has since become a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and against homophobia in sport and wider society.

After retiring from rugby league, Roberts pursued an acting career, appearing in films such as The Sum of Us and Any Given Sunday. He has also worked as a personal trainer and motivational speaker. Roberts's impact extends beyond his playing career; he is remembered as a significant figure in Australian sport and a pioneer for LGBTQ+ athletes.