#Rio2016: A Record 43 Out Olympic Athletes Are Competing at This Year’s Games

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio will have a record number of 43 out lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex athletes. There are 11 publicly out male athletes (though none are from the U.S.) and there is one married couple, Helen Richardson-Walsh and Kate Richardson-Walsh, British field hockey players.

Inspired by British diver Tom Daley telling him that he was dating a man (Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black) champion Brazilian diver Ian Matos has just come out publicly as gay in an interview with the newspaper Correio. Matos, 24, now living in Rio de Janiero says,

“From a young age, I knew I was gay, but it was here that I got to live my sexuality.“

A friend advised Matos to stay closeted until after this summer’s games, but the pressure of hiding boyfriends, avoiding gay parties and not being himself proved too much. He said he hoped that coming out would not impact his ability to be a successful diver and not cost him any potential sponsorship. Matos was the Brazilian 3-meter champion in 2013 and won a bronze medal in 2012 during an event in the U.S.

The list is expected to grow, as more athletes are revealed to be out. This often occurs on team sports in Europe or in lesser-know sports where athletes are out but haven’t gotten much publicity.

The 2012 Summer Games in London featured 23 out LGBTI athletes. Others have come out publicly since they competed in London.

Nicola Adams

According to Out Sports, here are the out LGBTI athletes that are in Rio:

Nicola Adams (Great Britain, boxing)

Seimone Augustus (USA, basketball)

Tom Bosworth (Great Britain, race walk)

Dutee Chand (India, track & field)

Tom Daly

Tom Daley (Great Britain, diving)

Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel (Netherlands, field hockey)

Lisa Dahlkvist (Sweden, soccer)

Elena Delle Donne (USA, basketball)

Katie Duncan (New Zealand, soccer)

Nilla Fisher (Sweden, soccer)

Amini Fonua

Amini Fonua (Tonga, swimming)

Larissa França (Brazil, beach volleyball)

Edward Gal (Netherlands, equestrian)

Kelly Griffin (USA, rugby)

Brittney Griner

Brittney Griner (USA, basketball)

Carl Hester (Great Britain, equestrian)

Michelle Heyman (Australia, soccer)

Mélanie Henique (France, swimming)

Stephanie Labbe (Canada, soccer)

Alexandra Lacrabère (France, handball)

Hedvig Lindahl

Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden, soccer)

Ari-Pekka Liukkonen (Finland, swimming)

Robbie Manson (New Zealand, rowing)

Hans Peter Minderhoud (Netherlands, equestrian)

Ian Matos

Ian Matos (Brazil, diving)

Angel McCoughtry (USA, basketball)

Nadine Müller (Germany, discus)

Marie-Eve Nault (Canada, soccer)

Ashley Nee

Ashley Nee (USA, kayak whitewater slalom)

Maartje Paumen (Netherlands, field hockey)

Mayssa Pessoa (Brazil, handball)

Jillion Potter (USA, rugby)

Megan Rapinoe (USA, soccer)

Helen Richardson-Walsh & Kate Richardson-Walsh

Helen Richardson-Walsh (Great Britain, field hockey)

Kate Richardson-Walsh (Great Britain, field hockey)

Carolina Seger (Sweden, soccer)

Caster Semenya (South Africa, track & field)

Martina Strutz (Germany, pole vault)

Susannah Townsend

Susannah Townsend (Great Britian, field hockey)

Sunette Stella Viljoen (South Africa, javelin)

Julia Vasconcelos (Brazil, taekowndo)

Jeffrey Wammes (Netherlands, gymnastics)

Spencer Wilton (Great Britain, equestrian)

Spencer Wilton

(via Out Sports)

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