ATHLETICS
Colin Jackson, Olympic silver medalist, comes out as gay
The British Olympic hurdler, who was runner-up in Seoul 1988, spoke out for the first time about his sexuality as part of a Swedish documentary.
Colin Jackson, the silver medal winner in the 110 metres hurdles in the Seoul Olympics 1988 and current commentator on BBC sports programmes, has admitted to being gay.
Colin Jackson was fearful of coming out
Now 50, Jackson, has decided to speak for the first time about his sexuality during an interview on a Swedish television programme. Previously the athlete from Cardiff in Wales had refused to speak about the subject when it had been raised on various occasions, afraid of the sensationlist stories that were likely to have been written about it.
In the chat with Swedish LGBT athletes, the Welshman recalled his fears and explained the time he first told his parents. Although he was "quite distraught" at the thought of telling them he revealed how the news “didn’t faze them at all”. At that moment, with the relief of the reaction, he realised that he had "the best parents."
No homosexuality stigma
In 2008, speaking with the TV programme The Voice he said: "It's the 21st century. I don't think anybody thinks about that any more. There might have been a stigma in years gone by."