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Tag: Greg Louganis

  • Greg Louganis Opposes Sochi Olympic Boycott

    Greg Louganis is opposed to a boycott of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

    Instead of boycotting the Olympics, Louganis urged athletes to dedicate their performances to the gay family and friends who have supported them.

    “If you have a supportive aunt, uncle, cousin, friend who is gay, you don’t win a gold medal by yourself. There is a team of people behind you. And to recognize those people is a way athletes can show their support of the LGBT community and what’s going on in Russia,” Louganis said following his participation in a Capitol Hill briefing on Friday.

    During the briefing of the House LGBT Equality Caucus hosted by U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Human Rights First, Louganis reiterated his opposition to a boycott.

    As a member of the 1980 US Olympic team that boycotted the Moscow Games, Louganis can claim first-hand experience to inform his position.

    As the Games prepare to return to Russia, tensions have surfaced over a law that was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in June. The law bans “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.”

    It’s still not clear how the law could effect athletes and spectators at the Games next February.

    “I know that there are questions – can you wear a rainbow flag, a . . . pin in support of non-discrimination,” Louganis said at the briefing on Friday.

    Louganis has sparked outrage from some in the LGBT community. He admitted to receiving hate mail for refusing to support a boycott: “I was told, ‘How can I call myself a gay man?’”

    Louganis reached out to one of his critics and said the two have since became friends.

    “I commended the guy who was critical of me. All I’m trying to do is incite action. That’s all he’s trying to do. We’re all on the same side. If you say boycott, that’s how you address the issue. I am saying no boycott, but maybe there is another way.”

    Although he boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Louganis had the opportunity to compete in the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1988 Seoul Games, winning gold medals at both.

    But Louganis realizes he may have been an exception. In an opinion piece on PolicyMic, he wrote “other athletes were not so lucky. Some of those who missed the 1980 games never had another chance to shine. This boycott hurt the wrong people, taking a toll on prominent athletes more than the country it targeted.”

    President Obama has denounced the new Russian law. On Friday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said “I think we’ve been very clear in our views about both the laws in place and the issues surrounding LGBT rights and our expectations of Russia when it comes to conducting the Olympics.”

    The White House hasn’t announced whom it will send to represent the US at the Sochi Games ceremonies. Organizations such as Human Rights First have urged the White House to send prominent LGBT people as well as allies of the LGBT community and those who advocate on its behalf.

    Louganis said he recently heard he may be asked to be a part of the delegation, but hasn’t been officially invited yet. “If it would be helpful, I would be there in a heartbeat.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Greg Louganis Offers Alternative To Boycott

    The Olympics is an event meant to bring the world together in a spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect. Sometimes the choice of host city can clash strongly with this purpose. When Sochi, Russia was chosen for the 2014 Olympics, this lead to a great deal of protest. Russia is seen as a place of “social stigma and state discrimination” with regard to visible minorities and immigrants. Russia’s homophobic laws and treatment of gays are also a source of major contention.

    Many are calling for a boycott of the games. Joachim Gauck, president of Germany, is rumored to be doing just that.

    Amid the controversy, there is one unlikely source speaking up against calls for a boycott: Former Olympian Greg Louganis.

    He is speaking out from experience, having missed out on the 1980 Olympics due to a boycott.

    Louganis was sorry to have never have been given the chance to compete during that time period. He thinks that a boycott by athletes and audiences would hurt the competitors more so than Russia.

    The Olympics typically happen every four years, providing a narrow window of time for an athlete to train and compete at their peak. Few elite athletes make it to three or more competitions. A boycott means a major opportunity will be lost that will never return. Louganis is not defending Russian policies; he is instead thinking of the sacrifice and disappointment of the athletes involved.

    Despite his intentions, Louganis’ decision to speak out against boycotting the Sochi Olympics has earned him some negative press and even hate mail.

    “I was told, ‘How can I call myself a gay man?’ Or that I was a horrible homosexual. I had one really graphic and hateful one and actually reached out to him and we became friends.”

    Louganis’ alternative to an out-and-out boycott is to have Olympians thank gay friends and family members whenever they win.

    “I don’t see how the [International Olympic Committee] can say anything about that, because it’s personal, not political. If you have a supportive aunt, uncle, cousin, friend who is gay, you don’t win a gold medal by yourself. There is a team of people behind you. And to recognize those people is a way athletes can show their support of the LGBT community and what’s going on in Russia.”

    Image: Greg Louganis Twitter

  • Greg Louganis Marries Johnny Chaillot In Malibu

    Greg Louganis, who is an olympic diver, married Johnny Chaillot in a ceremony that took place in Malibu, California. Louganis rose to fame after winning gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic games, for both the springboard and the platform. He is also the only male and second diver in Olympic history to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic games.

    Louganis has been openly gay throughout his career, and his now finally able to be married at the age of 53. His partner, now husband, is 52. The couple wed on Saturday, October 12. Louganis, the famous Olympian has married Chaillot, who is a paralegal. He tested positive for HIV in 1988 and later came out publicly as gay during a performance on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995, according to US Weekly.

    The couple had dated for less than a year, before deciding to take the next step in their relationship. They began dating in 2012 after a chance meeting on the website that we have all come to know from their commercials, match.com.

    Greg Louganis and his partner became engaged almost exactly a year later on April 8th. Louganis said in an interview on Thursday, “It has been an incredible journey.”

    The ceremony was fairly small in comparison with some weddings, entertaining about 160 guests during the party. They each wore European-cut white suits, and were accompanied by Chaillots four sisters and Louganis’ diving coach Ron O’Brien. Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed live music provided by their friends, including a recent contestant on The Voice, Dominic Scott Kay.

    With the hopes of making a difference, they are also shaking up the traditional wedding registry, and asking for donations to charities instead. The couple talked about the decision, saying in an interview that they are both in their fifties and do not need a blender or other typical items that are picked out for wedding gifts. It just made sense for them to donate the money that would have gone towards gifts toward charities instead.

    After years of being a closeted homosexual, Olympic diver Greg Louganis is finally able to be open about his love life and will now be able to enjoy a happy life with his husband. He mentioned that growing up he always heard about soul mates and never believed in any of that until now, saying “I’m having second thoughts about that.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnnLLGTTUEA

    Image via Youtube

  • Greg Louganis is Engaged to Johnny Chaillot

    Olympic diver Greg Louganis this week announced that he is engaged to his partner. The olympian called Johnny Chaillot his “soul mate,” saying to People magazine that “the more I fall in love with Johnny, the more I fall in love with myself.”

    Louganis and Chaillot, a paralegal, have stated that they will marry sometime this fall.

    Louganis gained fame as an Olympian in the 80s, when he won gold medals for the 3m Springboard and 10m Platform diving competitions in back-to-back Olympics in 1984 and 1988. He also gained infamy for hitting his head on a diving board during a preliminary round for the 1988 Olympics, causing a concussion. His “comeback” story became one of the most hailed stories of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

    Following his success, Louganis authored a 1996 best-selling biography titled Breaking the Surface. In it, the olympian discussed his struggles as a gay man living with HIV.

    Louganis now a mentor for the U.S. Olympic diving team, an advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness, and a motivational speaker. He recently appeared on network TV as a coach on the ABC reality diving competition Splash.

    (Image courtesy Alan Light/Wikimedia Commons)

    (via People)