Thomas Berling

{{short description|Norwegian footballer (born 1979)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Thomas Berling

|image =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|2|21|df=y}}

|birth_place = Drevvassbygda, Norway

|height = 1.79 m

|position = Defender

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Nardo

|youthyears2 =

|youthclubs2 = Lyn

|years1 = 1999–2000 |clubs1 = Lyn 2 |caps1 = |goals1 =

|years2 = 1999 |clubs2 = Lyn |caps2 = 3 |goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2001–2002 |clubs3 = Drøbak/Frogn |caps3 = |goals3 =

|nationalyears1 = 1998

|nationalteam1 = Norway U19

|nationalcaps1 = 2

|nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Thomas Berling (born 21 January 1979) is a Norwegian former professional footballer who played as a defender.{{cite web| url=http://www.lynfotball.net/Lyn_Spiller.asp?id=6| title = Thomas Berling Profile| access-date=9 February 2009| work= Lyn Football.net|language=Norwegian}} His retirement from football sparked media attention.

He hails from Drevvassbygda.{{cite web|url=http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/norsk/artikkel.php?artid=442367|title=- Homohets knekker potensielle profiler|access-date=9 February 2009|work=VG|date=28 April 2001|language=Norwegian}} He played for Nardo FK, and joined Lyn ahead of the 1999 season. He played three games in the second highest Norwegian league, and also played for the under-19 national team.{{cite web|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2001/04/28/254800.html|title=Homohets rammet landslagsspiller|access-date=9 February 2009|work=Dagbladet|date=27 April 2001|language=Norwegian|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606154223/http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2001/04/28/254800.html|archive-date=6 June 2009}}

In 2000, he disappeared from professional football. It later surfaced that he had come out as gay, and that he quit football as a result of what he described as widespread homophobia in the football community. In 2001, he briefly came out of retirement, playing for lower league Drøbak/Frogn IF.

Berling's case was cited several times in the upcoming years, as the connection between homophobia and sport was discussed in the national media now and then.{{cite web|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2001/04/28/254800.html|title=Reagerer kraftig på Rekdals homoutspill|access-date=9 February 2009|first=Anders K.|last=Christiansen|work=VG|date=12 November 2004|language=Norwegian|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606154223/http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2001/04/28/254800.html|archive-date=6 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kjendis.no/2008/09/19/547425.html|title=- Håper han blir tatt vel i mot|access-date=9 February 2009|first=Charlotte Lokland|last=Pettersen|author2=Kleve, Marie |author3=Nordseth, Pål |work=Dagbladet|date=19 September 2008|language=Norwegian}}{{cite news |url=http://fotball.aftenposten.no/sport/article250978.ece |title=Han merket homohetsen på kroppen |access-date=15 October 2012 |first=Øyvind |last=Nordli |publisher=Aftenposten |date=19 September 2012 |language=Norwegian}}