Openly gay Olympians Matthew Mitcham
and Blake Skjellerup have been named ambassadors to the 2014 Gay
Games, the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) announced on Tuesday.
The Olympic style sporting event will
take place in Cleveland, Ohio.
Mitcham and Skjellerup join previously
named ambassadors David Kopay, John Amaechi and Greg Louganis.
“We are very grateful that both of
these young men have decided to commit to the work of the Gay Games
Ambassador,” said FGG Co-President Kurt Dahl. “We recognize that
for athletes at the peak of their competitive career, commitments
must be made with care. Each has taken their time to join us, and
know that this means that they are full invested in supporting the
next Gay Games.”
It is the second ambassadorship for
23-year-old Mitcham, who read the athlete's oath at the start of last
year's Gay Games in Cologne, Germany. The Australian diver came out
gay in 2008 before winning gold at the Olympics in Beijing.
Twenty-six-year-old short-track speed
skater Skjellerup, a native of New Zealand, came out gay last year
during an interview with an Australian magazine.
(Related: Cleveland
to pay nearly half million dollars to settle 2014 Gay Games lawsuit.)