Tom Daley is making it his mission to try and ensure that countries which criminalise homosexuality and the LGBT community can’t compete in and host big sporting events in the future.
Collecting the Attitude Sport Award, the gold Olympic medallist spoke of the 10 countries who take part in the Olympics where LGBT people still face persecution for their basic rights.
Daley said it was great to have more out LGBT athletes than ever at the 2020 Tokyo Games, but there is still work to be done to help people in other countries.
As well as using his acceptance speech to thank his family for their support as well as his synchro-diving partner, Matty Lee, outlined his thoughts on the current situation.
He said: “These past Olympic Games there were more out LGBT athletes than at any of the previous Olympics combined, which is a great step forward. Yet there are still 10 countries that punish being gay with death, that were still allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.
Continuing, he said: “I want to make it my mission before the Paris Olympics in 2024 to make it so that the countries that criminalise and make it punishable by death for LGBT people are not allowed to compete at the Olympic Games.”
Aren't they all fundamentalist Islamic states? Or is this a construct that never gets mentioned due to it's negative resonance with political correctness?
ReplyDeleteYou are right, they have it in common but it is in our hands to force to change it, throught our governments and international businesses and movements, like Olympics, Tom is spot on.
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