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I'm free to be me on the Gold Coast: Daley

Apr 13th, 2018Apr 13th, 2018

While happy with 10m synchro gold, diving superstar Tom Daley is more ecstatic about being able to be openly gay at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

And it has only spurred England's dual world champion on to push for more Commonwealth countries to be just as accepting.

Daley, 23, defied a hip complaint that forced him to withdraw from the 10m individual event on the Gold Coast to claim synchro gold with Daniel Goodfellow on Friday.

He credited a relaxed lead-up in which he was able to soak up the Gold Coast sights and sounds with husband, Oscar winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black.

Yet it saddened him that he wouldn't be able to do the same in the majority of Commonwealth nations.

Of the Commonwealth's 53 member countries, homosexuality is criminalised in 37 of them.

"Here I can be me," Daley said.

"Some countries it is illegal to be who I am.

"Coming to the Gold Coast and living as an openly gay man is really important, you have to feel comfortable with who you are.

"In other (Commonwealth) countries, I can't do that.

"So hopefully we reduce that number between now and then (next Commonwealth Games at Birmingham 2022)."

Some progress is being made.

There were 43 Commonwealth countries that criminalised homosexuality at the last Games in Glasgow 2014.

The changing attitude towards LGBTI citizens can be seen on the Gold Coast.

A prominent Surfers Paradise nightclub has been transformed into Pride House, a safe space for LGBTI athletes and citizens for the Games.


Yet Daley knows plenty still has to change.

He admitted he was wary of competing in a World Cup event in Kazan, Russia in three weeks.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Russia but gay marriage is.

"It can be scary because you have to compete in front of lot of people who know I have got a husband," he said.

"You have got to face those things, try and make change.

"I feel with the Commonwealth Games we can help push some nations to relax their anti-gay laws."