Where are the out gay athletes at the London 2012 Olympics?

Every time an athlete wins a medal (especially gold), tv commentators remind viewers that the winners make great role models for the young. And why not, for the most part these athletes have committed there lives to peak physical performance (not just looking pretty at the gym), and not to get rich. We say actors, musicians politicians and professional athletes are role models but they often in it for the fame and fortunate. And we put a lot of pressure on all of the above to come out, and yet in sports few do. Take for example the list of out athletes at the London 2012 Olympic games, just 3 gay men and 18 lesbians (it was 17 but one came out at the games).

Amazingly for the gay community the support for Team GB diver Tom Daley is quite big (not stereotyping the community for the lack of interest in sports, but if the shoe fits). Also Daley, now 18, is cute. Actually it seems diving is popular for many reasons: the divers are more naked than swimmers, yet they have swimmers builds, also their tiny speedos nearly fall off during the dive.

So who is out this Olympic season?
1. Matthew Mitcham, diver, Australia, 24
Mitcham won gold at the Olympics in Beijing. Personally he need a shave; not saying the other 12 divers who knocked him out in the 10m platform dive semi-finals won because they were completely shaved, but they were. He’s still one major hottie who’s made it to the cover of DNA magazine among others. Also his being out really annoyed conservative Americans (and certain Olympic sponsors) which is a great bonus. But it was his gold win that was best.

2. Carl Hester, Dressage, Great Britain, 45
Already a gold medalist in the European Dressage Championship, Hester is one of the top riders in the world. Oh, and Dressage is called the highest form of horse training. The “horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements”. This often includes getting the horse to dance to a musical number. Carl won gold in the team Dressage event but not in the singles (even though he gave the Team GB gold medal winner her horse, such a gentleman).

3. Edward Gal, Dressage, Netherlands, 42
Yes, another in Dressage (read above for explanation) and he’s in a long term relationship with another Dutch equestrian.

The honest truth is that three Olympic athletes out of thousands is not a true representation. It’s just sad that sport and the public can’t learn to accept everyone. Of course the Olympics still has a ways to go even to have gender equality, but being out crosses all genders. Without advocating outing unwilling athletes it would be nice for more to be brave outside the sport, such as those hot gymnasts, after all it’s not like these guys are in a boy band (though the gay one in One Direction should certainly come out, same with the one member of The Wanted).