1 Ben Cohen The ex-England wing has bared nearly all for his 2008 calendar and done signing sessions at gay venues. He’s spoken to Gay Times and plans a gay night out as part of his testimonial year. “My auntie’s a lesbian,” he explains. “We’re in the 21st century.”

2 David Beckham “David Beckham is a beautiful man,” swoons Sir Ian McKellen, star of Lord Of The Rings. “He has got a nice smile. I spoke to him at a party. He’s a gay icon and I know that he likes it.” Beckham has got the body, the bling, the Joe Pasquale voice and the willingness to swing with the wind in ladies’ clothing. What’s not to be gay about, Rebecca?

3 Freddie Ljungberg He dresses in a more expressive manner, different from, say, Neil Ruddock: tight T-shirts, rapper jeans etc. His gay icon status comes via his campaign for Calvin Klein Pro Stretch, “a performance-inspired men’s underwear combining designer style with athletic flexibility,” we’re told. Ready, Freddie? It appeared so.

4 Frederic Michalak Another calendar homme. This time French rugby’s weak link appeared to have a waxed chest, a pout and a knowing leer. Soon he was snapped up by skincare range Biotherm. He looks and smells good – if only he could play rugby good . . .

5 Graeme Le Saux Le Saux read The Guardian, which in football terms meant he was gay. “Everything I did was used as evidence that I was gay,” he sighed. “The variety of insults aimed at gay people became my specialist subject.”

6 Gavin Henson Those sweet people at OnePoll polled 5,000 gay folk about their favourite icons. There at No 49 was second-placed sportsman and renowned train traveller Henson. It’s the hair, the knowing pout and the orange skin.

7 Carl Lewis If the gay community weren’t aware of Lewis before 1994, they certainly were when he posed wearing a leotard, red stilettos and a come-and-get-me pose for that year’s Pirelli advertisement. Hmm.

8 Merv Hughes It’s a broad church, the world of gay icons, hence Merv Hughes, the giant (ie fat) Australian cricketer and beer guzzler. And what will he be remembered for? A Test hat-trick? Fearsome bowling? Alas no, only the frankly ridiculous moustache which made him look like he was in the Village People.

9 Tonya Harding Some cruel souls suggested the fallen skater resembles a drag act, so she made a quick buck appearing at gay male clubs. As the advertisement for the events in gay magazine HX argued: “Hey, isn’t there a little Tonya in all of us?” Quite.

10 Mark Spitz There were the medals. And there was the Rock Hudson moustache. “Mark Spitz has resonance for gay men because he epitomised the clone look of the ’70s,” noted Simon Doonan, New York’s finest window dresser.