A global study of homophobia in sport has revealed 87 per cent of young gay athletes in Australia feel forced to hide their sexuality from teammates, placing the country among the least safe English-speaking countries for "out" players.

More than half said they feared being openly gay would lead to bullying, while 37 per cent were worried about discrimination from coaches or officials.

The stands are also hostile, with 75 per cent of respondents saying gay or lesbian fans would not be safe at a sporting event.

Out on the Fields – the largest study on homophobia of its kind – surveyed almost 10,000 people across all ages in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Britain and Ireland.

Australia fell behind other countries on some measures, second only to New Zealand for the number of 16 to 22-year-old athletes in the closet, and far higher than the UK, where 70 per cent hide their sexuality.

"Homophobia is clearly a serious problem that is keeping people closeted and preventing them from even just turning up to watch sport because they don't feel safe to be openly gay in this hostile environment," said Victoria University's Grant O'Sullivan, one of the report's researchers.

It comes after Fairfax Media last year exclusively revealed the study's preliminary findings, showing 85 per cent of gay athletes had experienced or witnessed homophobic abuse and violence.

Gay and lesbian youth have higher rates of suicide attempts than their straight peers, largely as a result of discrimination.

"We need mandatory training for PE teachers and coaches on how to support these young people and part of that is challenging homophobic language because we know this can put them off playing sport for the rest of their lives," Dr O'Sullivan said.

Travis Burridge, 34, stopped playing Aussie Rules at 17. "I'd played football since I was eight and the words 'gay' and 'faggot' and 'homo' were used commonly. I worried that if the guys at my club knew I was gay I'd be beaten up and ridiculed. It was safer to just quit the game."

In response to the report, commissioned by organisers of the Bingham Cup – the gay rugby World Cup held in Sydney last year – Australia's major sporting codes, AFL, NRL, cricket, soccer and rugby union, will today announce they have signed up to a "Pride in Sport" index.

Pride and Diversity, which already runs an index for LGBTI inclusiveness in the corporate world, will deliver annual rankings on how gay-friendly individual sports are, with support from the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Sports Commission.

Last month a member of the Western Bulldogs cheer squad was evicted from the MCG for a homophobic slur against a Richmond player.

In March, former Wallabies captain and ACT Brumbies flanker David Pocock complained to the referee that a Waratahs player had repeatedly used the word "faggot" during a game.

Pocock, a Bingham Cup ambassador said: "The good thing is that it got people talking about homophobia in sport  . . . The more of those conversations we have the better. There's a lot of young players out there struggling with their sexuality and they need to have a safe environment to enjoy themselves on the sports field."

jstark@fairfaxmedia.com.au

16 to 22-year-olds who hide their sexuality from teammates

NZ: 88%

AUS: 87%

CAN: 86%

IRE: 83%

USA: 83%

UK: 70%