Photo: © 2007 AAP/JOE CASTRO

The AFL star was involved in Monday's International Day Against Homophobia and used his column in today's Herald Sun to address the topic.

But he wrote that being the first gay player to come out would be "too big a burden for any player".

"I know there are many who think a public AFL outing would break down homophobia, but they don't live in football clubs.

"It's not the job of the minority to make the environment safer."

His comments have angered Daniel Kowalski, who was part of the Australian 4x200 metre relay swim team that won gold at the Sydney Olympics and came out last month.

"I'm disappointed, I'm mad, I'm angry, I'm sad," he told Triple M radio.

"When you get comments like that from a guy of his stature, why would you come out?

"I didn't have the balls to [come out until recently because] you're brought up in this culture that it's wrong to be gay, especially in sport."