Gold-medallist’s comment comes ahead of opening ceremony in Birmingham on Friday
The Olympic diver Tom Daley has condemned homophobia across Commonwealth nations ahead of the start of competition in the Commonwealth GamesDaley, who won gold at the event in 2018, said: “Thirty-five out of the 56 Commonwealth member states criminalise same-sex relations. That’s half the countries in the world that outlaw homosexuality.
He also highlighted the fact seven Commonwealth nations have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment under laws imposed by Britain in the 19th century when it was a colonial power.as he is taking a year off from competing after his gold medal win at the Tokyo Olympics last year to spend more time with his husband and son.
“They would be jailed, not selected – no matter how good they were,” he said. “The Commonwealth is a homophobic institution. It is a bastion of anti-LGBT+ laws, discrimination and hate crime. LGBT+ issues have never been discussed, not even once, by Commonwealth leaders at any of their summits over the last three decades.”
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