Former four-time Olympic gold medalist Greg Louganis was on hand at HBO’s TCA (Television Critics’ Association) to talk about his upcoming documentary “Back on Board: Greg Louganis”. The former athlete and current actor answered questions about his own life after he came out HIV positive, and his own ordeal was compared by the crowd to current very different reactions to former fellow Olympian Caitlyn Jenner.
Louganis came out as HIV-positive in 1995, and was quickly dropped by several sponsors with the sole exception of Speedo.
The athlete’s revelation about his health also caused concern among other divers when he hit his head on the diving board in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, leaking blood into the pool. Even though the blood didn’t pose a threat to the other competitors, HIV was little understood at the time and this led to Louganis’ further removal from the athletic community.
When asked about Caitlyn Jenner and her recent transition, especially if Louganis had any knowledge about what Bruce (at the time) was going through, he answered “I had no idea…It’s not something that was at the forefront of our conversation.”
Louganis was very clear that he feels no resentment towards other Olympians who ended up with more endorsements than him. As he stated “I was in it for the love of the sport and not the pride, it was about accomplishing an achievement. It wasn’t for the money.”
Greg Louganis has since transitioned into acting and still leaves behind a legacy as the greatest male diver in history. The documentary, directed by Cheryl Furjanic, premieres on August 4th.
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