Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles Galaxy have signed former U.S. national team winger Robbie Rogers, making him the first active openly gay male athlete to compete in an American professional team sport.

The deal came three months after Rogers announced that he's gay and less than a month after 12-year NBA veteran Jason Collins came out.

With his announcement, Collins became the first active male athlete to come out but he has not competed since then, making Rogers the first active gay player in American professional sport.

The Galaxy issued a statement, saying they would introduce the club's newest player at a news conference, without naming Rogers.

Robbie Rogers could play his first game in a Galaxy uniform when they host the Seattle Sounders.

Before making a comeback, Rogers trained with the Galaxy for a month with consent from the Chicago Fire, who owned his MLS rights.

To get Rogers, the Galaxy traded veteran forward Mike Magee, their leading scorer this season with six goals, to the Fire.

Earlier, Rogers told USA Today he wanted to come back and be the voice and role model on the field for gay teens.

"I want to come back and be that voice, be that role model," Rogers said. "I want to compete on the field. I want to make it back to the national team. I want to be a role model. I have a lot of motivating factors working for me right now."

Also, Rogers, who has been capped 18 times, is aiming to make the U.S. team for the 2014 World Cup.

"I want to get past the point where I was before," he said. "I want to get back to the national team. I was so close to making the World Cup in 2010, I want to be there for the next one."

 

Galaxy Make Robbie Rogers First Active Gay Player in US Pro Sports