Olympic fiigure skater Brian Boitano came out as openly gay two days after President Barack Obama named him to the United States delegation at the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia, the Associated Press reported.
Boitano, a 1988 gold medalist, has always kept his private life out of the media's attention, and has said "being gay is just one part of who I am," the AP reported.
"First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance," Boitano said in his statement, according to the AP. "As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations."
Boitano continued: "I have been fortunate to represent the United States of America in three different Olympics, and now I am honored to be part of the presidential delegation to the Olympics in Sochi. It has been my experience from competing around the world and in Russia that Olympic athletes can come together in friendship, peace and mutual respect regardless of their individual country's practices."
There are five athletes on the delegation, three, now including Boitano, are openly gay. Billie Jean King, tennis champ, and Caitlin Cahow, two-time ice hockey medalist, the AP reported. Olympic speed skating champions Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden are also on the delegation.
"I completely respect that," Cahow told the AP after learning of Boitano's statement. "I think each individual has a right to define who they are. That's what autonomy is all about."I think he and I would agree that our goal is to someday live in a world where these classifications aren't important."
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach announced Russia would be setting up public protest areas for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something," and also sent out a letter to athletes asking that they do not carry out any demonstration or protests, the AP reported.
Cahow said that request is unlikely to be abided by.
"I think politics and the Olympics are always going to be intertwined. It's impossible not to," Cahow told the AP. "It's a remarkable opportunity for people to invest in and get swept away in the events. I'm hoping the Sochi Games will be no exception."
