Let’s take a moment to appreciate water polo star Víctor Gutiérrez and his soaking wet Instagram page
A post shared by Víctor Gutiérrez (@victor_g91)Spanish water polo player Víctor Gutiérrez made worldwide headlines in 2016 when he came out in an interview with the magazine Shangay prior to the Rio Olympics.“I’m living my sexuality in such a positive way that I felt a responsibility to share it with others,” the then-25-year-old said. “There are almost no athletes who say they are gay.
But, according to my experience, people have changed. As an athlete, everything I have lived is absolutely positive.”Since then, Gutiérrez has used his platform to be a positive role model for other queer athletes and youth, as well as to speak out against homophobia in sports.Last year, he took to social media to call out another player’s homophobia and the referees who failed to address the issue.During an April 2021 match between CN Terrassa, for which Gutiérrez plays, and CN Sabadell, another player called him an antigay slur, but the refs didn’t intervene.
Per Spanish Swimming Federation rules, the offense should have been officially noted.“Today sadly I have to tell you that I have suffered an episode of homophobia while competing.
A rival has called me up to 2 times ‘FAIRY [other sources translate the word as “f*ggot”],’” Gutiérrez wrote on Twitter .“It is unfortunate that these behaviors occur in sports venues and that they also go unpunished.
