ORLANDO CRUZ this weekend aims to become the first ever openly gay world boxing champion.
The Puerto Rican fighter takes on British defending champ Terry Flanagan aiming for personal glory – and to strike a blfor the gay community.
Cruz, 35, has been a loud voice on the subject of sexuality of sports stars ever since he went public in 2012.
The American-based fighter is just one of a long list of top class sporting icons who have blazed a trail in being out and proud in their sport…
Justin Fashanu
Former England U21 international Fashanu played and scored numerous goals for the likes of Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Notts County and Brighton.
In October 1990, he came out publicly as gay and found his career a lot more difficult ever since as he moved into non-league, Scotland and abroad, finally ending his career in the USA.
While in Maryland, he was charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy, and just months later, he was tragically found hanged in London.
He has paved the way for others such as American Robbie Rogers and former Aston Villa star Thomas Hitzlesperger to come out – and work is being done to try and make it more comfortable for players.
Michael Sam
Having come out at the end of a successful college career, Sam became the first openly gay player to be drafted by an NFL side when he was snapped up by St Louis Rams 2014.
Sam failed to make the grade at the Rams because he was deemed to be small for his position, and another opportunity at Dallas Cowboys also passed him by.
Still only 26, the former All-American defensive player has won the admiration of fans around the world – but earlier this year claimed he would still be in the NFL if he had kept his sexuality hidden.
Gareth Thomas
The former Wales and British Lion star became the first openly gay professional rugby union player in the world when he went public in 2009.
Thomas decided to come out after the breakdown of his marriage and became a major role model to millions of youngsters worldwide.
A detailed autobiography revealed his personal struggles with his sexuality but Thomas is widely credited for being a trailblazer for other gay sports stars, and has continued his career in the sport in the media since retiring.
Billie-Jean King
Having initially been married to Larry King, one of the original founders of the Women’s Tennis Association, American King eventually came out in 1981 and immediately struggled as she lost a series of commercial deals.
King won 39 Grand Slam titles during an illustrious career, which included beating Bobby Riggs in a Battle of the Sexes match in 1973.
Since retiring she has spoken up for several high profile causes and in 2009 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama for advocating the rights of women and the LGBT community.
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Ian Thorpe
The most successful Australian Olympian of all-time, Thorpe revealed in a television interview with Michael Parkinson in 2014 that he was gay, after years of denials.
Thorpe became an international superstar during his career, and was chased by major brands to front their advertising campaigns.
The 6ft 5in swimmer won a total of nine Olmpic medals, five of them gold and remains one best to ever compete in his sport.
John Amaechi
Became the first former NBA player to come out as gay in 2007, just after he retired from the sport, when he released his book Man in the Middle.
The British-born star is now regarded as one of the world’s most high-profile gay athletes and is tireless in his activism and charity work.
Amaechi now has a portfolio career as a broadcaster, consultant and academic and won plaudits for his decision which has seen others such as Jason Collins come out.
Steven Davies
Wicketkeeper-batsman Davies played eight ODI’s and five T20 internationals for England and was on the books of Surrey when he came out publicly in 2011.
He had come out to his family five years earlier and was also already out to his teammates – and in doing so became the first international cricketer to come out as gay.
Davies, 30, still plays having moved to Somerset at the end of last season in a bid to make it back into the international fold – and no other elite cricketers have come out ever since.
Tom Daley
US diver and Olympic gold medallist Greg Louganis came out in 1995 and is now a gay rights activist – but he announced it years after retirement, having been HIV positive.
Brit Daley, still just 22, announced in 2013 that he was in a relationship with another man – while admitting last year he is bisexual, but currently in love with fiance Dustin Lance Black.
Still searching that elusive Olympic gold, Daley has two bronze medals to his name and is training for Tokyo in 2020.
Nigel Owens
Welshman Owens is not a sportsman, but a referee which makes his announcement as gay just as courageous, given the abuse officials in all sports get – that said, Rugby is much gentler than football!
Owens came out in an interview in 2007, saying it was a difficult decision to make and that he had even contemplated suicide when he was 26.
He described how it is such a big taboo in his line of work, but has since been named “Gay Sports Personality of the Year” and made an MBE this year for his services to sport.
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