Tom Daley waves Pride Progress flag at Commonwealth Games in bold stand against anti-LGBTQ+ countries
Tom Daley showed his support for LGBTQ+ people living in countries that still criminalise homosexuality during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Thursday (28 July).
Entering the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham carrying the Queen’s baton and alongside several activists from some of the 35 countries that continue to punish same-sex relations, Daley and the activists carried Pride Progress flags.
The Olympic Gold medalist has previously criticised the Commonwealth for supporting governments that criminalise the LGBTQ+ community and was recently awarded an OBE for his services to sport and work campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, Daley explained his entrance to the games on Instagram. “In over half of the Commonwealth countries, homosexuality is still a crime and in 3 of those countries the maximum penalty is the death sentence.
