Former Olympic silver medalist and two-time World Champion hurdler Colin Jackson made a big reveal this week. In a new interview with Swedish television program on SVT, The 50-year-old athlete, who now works as a sports commentator, came out publicly for the very first time.
Gay rumors had been following Jackson since 2006, when a man claiming to be his ex-boyfriend leaked the story of their relationship to the media. In the interview, the athlete said that incident was what prompted him to come out to his parents.
Reflecting on the moment, he said:
I was waiting for them in the kitchen. They walked in and they sat down. My mother could see my face and I was quite distraught. My mum went: ‘First of all, is the story true?’ And I said it’s true, so it’s not like I can deny it. And then she went: ‘Well, why are people so disgraceful?’ I just realized, I’ve got the best parents.
In 2008, Jackson finally responded to the gay rumors by saying: “It’s only people who don’t know you who say things like that–not people who do know you. They are not in my life at all, so it makes no difference to me.”
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Also in 2008, when asked about the stigma that surrounds LGBTQ athletes, Jackson told a reporter: “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.”
In his latest interview, Jackson said he wasn’t forthcoming about his sexuality earlier because he didn’t want his personal life to be “sensationalized.”
When asked why he was coming out now, he said it was because of the interviewers, Kajsa Bergqvist and Peter Häggström, and the respect they showed for his story.
“The way you asked me,” he said, “was a whole storytelling kind of thing and you were just interested in how it affected me sport-wise, emotionally wise, preparation-wise.”
Scroll down for photos from Jackson’s Instagram page…
Kangol
So glad to see this beautiful man is out! Congrats, Colin, and welcome to the fam!
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
As long as he doesn’t have the effrontery to start a fücking LGBT foundation or start lecturing ..you weren’t there when we really needed you, Colin.
jjose712
That’s very easy to say.
The truth is that if people in sports are not coming out is generally for good reasons.
And of course there’s the fact that Colin was a big star 20 years ago. The situation was very different (and it’s not like right now there are athletes coming out of the closet every week).
People always says the same, he didn’t came out when he was active (well i remember Tom Daley receiving backlash for not coming out sooner, and he came out with 19, so people are never satisfied), but when a veteran sports man come out is sending a message, i was gay and i had a great career, and some people could take profit of that.
People complain here that no soccer player is openly gay, but the truth is there’s practically no cases of retired soccer players who are out. Maybe if more retired players come out it will be easier for active players to do the same
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Not suggesting he should’ve come out while he was competing. But for s decade or so he’s been nothing more than a talking head and reality show contestant and what’s more everybody and his nana knew or strongly suspected so it’s been pretty cringe af watching him, along with Mark Foster, dodge or outright lie — and I’d hate to think it’s because they work with youth and schools and bought into or colluded in that damaging narrative.
alfred
Exactly! He denied being gay less than ten years ago- long after he stopped competing, and after he had been outed by an ex. Not only that, but he then said that there wasn’t really any pressure to be in the closet as a gay athlete. So which is it? he basically did an Ian thorpe and said if he was gay then he would have come out, but that he wasnt and it was offensive for people to say so. I do wonder if foster will now come out. Everyone in Bath knew they were and item.
JaredMacBride
The guy is in phenomenal shape. makes 50 look like the new 30.
muzzillo40
He is very handsome
would love to have you as M/y friend
dean089
He probably overheard someone ask if he was still alive. That brings more has-been celebrities out of the closet than anything else.
Cloud
You must be talking about yourself then unlike Colin Jackson who has accomplished more in his life than your little thumb. You seem rather bitter and jealous.
JerseyMike
HOT!!! People need to come out when THEY are ready.. Not when someone else want you to. You know what’s best for you!! Don’t ever let anyone make that choice for you!!
Donston
I’m always taken aback when people say, “it doesn’t matter anymore”. The amount of homophobia, gay-shame/internalized homophobia and closet cases makes it pretty apparent it very much still matters. Though he probably wouldn’t say something like that now. These people need to just start saying, “no comment” or should demand no questions are ever asked about their orientation prior to interviews. That’s the better route to go rather than constantly lying and/or saying a lot of contradictory things. At this end of the day, personal integrity and self-truth should always trump image and social standing. If we want to get there we have to work on getting there. And no matter what anyone says it does push the idea that you can only be a “happy and homo” person when there’s nothing on the line. And he only came out because there was a story telling him how awesome he was and relaying his struggles?
However, as frustrating as these situations continue to be good for him.