Greg Louganis and Yuri

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As I read through the ESPN article, ESPN.com - updated Feb 9, 2007 - Amaechi becomes first NBA player to come out, I thought of another gay athlete and his relationship with a Russian friend. In Greg Louganis' book "Breaking the Surface", he speaks of a special relationship he had with a Russian competitor, identified only as "Yuri" before and during the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.

["The first time I saw Yuri (not his real name) was at an international competition in 1976 before the Olympics. He was older than I was and absolutely beautiful, and I was instantly attracted, with a breathless, overwhelming desire you read about only in romance novels. I'd never experienced anything like it before."

"Yuri had been openly affectionate with me during the Olympics. He'd give me big hugs to greet me and say goodbye, and he thought nothing of putting his arm around me, which to me was wonderful."

"...I had my head in Yuri's lap and I had my arms around him and he was holding me. We had most of clothes off and we cuddled.

Being with Yuri was wonderful. It felt wonderful to be held by him and to caress him. It wasn't bad or sinful, It was the most natural thing in the world and I felt no guilt. He wasn't repelled by me and it felt great to know that he found me attractive. I wanted to stay there forever."

"That night was the only sustained physical contact I ever had with Yuri. After that, we saw each other periodically at competitions and he always greeted me with a big hug and a kiss. I found the Russians, in general, to be affectionate, but the affection from Yuri was new to me."]