Out Athlete Simon Dunn: LGBT Community Is "Selfish" To Want Athletes To Come Out

Simon Dunn (via Instagram)

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, retired out Olympic bobsledder Simon Dunn says it's "selfish" for the LGBT community to want LGBT athletes to come out.

“Everybody’s coming out is personal and in their own time. It is selfish for our community to expect someone to do it because of their public profile. Given the sporting culture, coming out could seriously affect their career.

I myself was already out when I joined the Australian [bobsleigh] team, but from my own experiences I can understand why someone wouldn’t come out, let alone someone earning and risking millions of pounds.”

I wasn’t exactly welcome within my team growing up. It's not the easiest road to take.

And also growing up I’d learnt to believe gay men have no place in the sporting world and it took me a very long time to dispel those beliefs.”

The 29-year-old Australian was the first out athlete to represent his country at the Olympics.

Since retiring from bobsleigh, he has moved to London where he plays amateur rugby with the LGBT-inclusive team, the King’s Cross Steelers.

Despite Dunn's concerns, several athletes including UK Olympic diver Tom Daley, Olympic freeskier Gus Kenworthy and rugby league player Keegan Hirst have all come out in recent years and seen no discernible impact on their careers.