Out gay former Australian bobsledder and rugby player Simon Dunn has died. He was just 35-years-old.
Simon became the first openly gay athlete to represent their country in bobsled. After retiring from the sport in 2016 he took up rugby and regularly played for the Sydney Convicts – an all-gay team.
A police spokesperson said: “About 10 am on Saturday, January 21, 2023, police were called to a unit on Crown Street, Surry Hills, after reports the body of a man had been found inside. The body is believed to be that of the 35-year-old occupant. Officers from Surry Hills Police Area Command have commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding his death, which is not being treated as suspicious.”
Simon Dunn was also a highly visible LGBTIQ advocate and ambassador for Australian LGBTIQ+ non-profits GiveOUT, the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and Pride in Sport.
“Simon was passionate about giving back to the community and volunteering, he gave his time, and utilizing his profile, to help multiple charities,” Dunn’s team at Ruby Rose Management said in a statement. “Simon never said no to donating his time to any organization who wanted to grow its diversity and inclusion footprint, from Woolworths to Lion – helping them all to better understand their LGBTQIA+ employees and customers. “Simon represented us all, he always said ‘I am not the spokesman, I am just a gay white male telling you about my experiences, and experiences from those with whom I listened and learnt. He has left his loving and supporting mother, sister, nephews and niece.”
Dunn was shortlisted for the Australian LGBTI Awards Sports Personality of the Year award in 2018 and 2019, saying just last year: “For me, my passion will always be working for my community and advocacy organizations plus exploring further ways I can contribute”.
The athlete, model and advocate also spent time in London, where he also played for the gay rugby team the Kings Cross Steelers. In recent years, Simon Dunn was living in Sydney and working as a personal trainer. In 2021 he announced he was training for a bobsledding comeback. Sadly, Simon suffered a nasty ruptured bicep during a race late that year that halted his return to competition.
He was forced to withdraw due to injury, saying on Instagram at the time: “Trust me, the recovery was long & painful. Unable to work, insurance companies finding any excuse not to help. I entered some pretty low places. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve referred to myself as a ‘failure’ or questioned my entire career. I’d find myself not being able to get out of bed, what was the point? Yet still I didn’t ask a doctor for help. If by sheer stupidity or thinking it wasn’t ‘manly’ to ask for help, Deep down though, I knew it’s exactly what I needed. I’m forever grateful for those close to me during this time, my support network shouldered the weight of what I was going though, when I should’ve just asked for help.”
Our condoleances goes out to his friends and Family. May he rest in peace!
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