The speculation has been silenced, and now he's heading to Sochi.
Brian Boitano, who won a figure skating gold medal at the 1988 Olympics and was named by President Obama to the official U.S. delegation to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, announced Dec. 19 that he is gay.
Boitano's announcement ended years of speculation about his sexual orientation. The 50-year-old Boitano also competed in the 1984 and the 1994 Olympics, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, and has appeared on the Food Network's show What Would Brian Boitano Make?
Boitano is joined on the official U.S. delegation to the Sochi Olympics by tennis legend Billie Jean King and former Olympic hockey player Caitlin Cahow, both out lesbians. The presence of prominent out gay athletes has been viewed by many as a strong message from Obama against Russia's anti-gay legislation.
Obama will not be attending, nor will a member of Obama's family or an active Cabinet secretary, marking the first time in at least 20 years that no U.S. president, vice president, one of their wives or a current cabinet secretary will be in a U.S. Olympic delegation.
The highest-ranking official will be former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
Boitano said in a statement on Dec. 19 that he is currently skating in Europe.
"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," Boitano said in a statement. "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.
"It is my desire to be defined by my achievements and my contributions. While I am proud to play a public role in representing the American Olympic Delegation as a former Olympic athlete, I have always reserved my private life for my family and friends and will continue to do so. I am many things: a son, a brother, and uncle, a friend, an athlete, a cook, an author, and being gay is just one part of who I am. First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance. As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations."
USA TODAY sports columnist Christine Brennan called the selection of King "a stroke of genius."
Kevin Boyer of Chicago, an openly gay marketing executive, said Obama's delegation decisions "are brilliant."
"It sends a clear message about U.S. values," Boyer said. "It makes a political statement, but focused on the athletes, and makes potential Russian protests impotent. The President not going sends an equally important message. I hope that NBC in its coverage and the sponsors in their advertising all make equally smart decisions. This issue is literally life and death for Russian LGBT people."
Anthony Nicodemo, the out basketball coach at Saunders High School in Yonkers, N.Y., said the inclusion of three out athletes in the delegation is "great."
"What an awesome way for the president to make a statement on the injustices in Russia: [sending] gay former Olympians, representing the USA," said Nicodemo, who came out this summer. In his team's first game of the season on Dec. 15, which Saunders won, all Saunders players wore "Be True" t-shirts from Nike for warm ups in support of their coach.
Jack Neilsen, the commission of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA) Sunday open division softball league, added: "What better way for President Obama to show support of the LGBT athletes and [the gay] community [than] by choosing members of the community. This sends a strong message to many that we are PROUD of our LGBT community and support them in this time of turmoil in Russia. Hopefully, as more LGBT athletes and community members come forward and show their face in Sochi, the repressive government will see that everyone deserves to be treated equally."
Also see: www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Billie-Jean-King-among-athletes-going-to-Winter-Olympics-/45589.html .
