Vale Simon Dunn

ACON and Pride In Sport are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Australian sport pioneer and LGBTQ+ community advocate, Simon Dunn.

Simon was the first openly gay man to represent any country at the Olympics in the sport of bobsled, as well as a beloved player for the Sydney Convicts rugby club.

He was an ambassador for ACON’s Pride in Sport program where he advocated for the greater inclusion of people with diverse genders and sexualities in all levels of Australian sport.

Most recently in his capacity as Pride in Sport Ambassador, Simon spoke at the 2022 Pride in Sport Awards where he was interviewed by tennis great Casey Dellacqua. He shared his lived experience of being an out gay male athlete in international sport and spoke to the comradery he received in community sport, and the critical importance that all sporting organisations play in providing safe and inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ people.

Simon’s story touched the hearts of everyone in the room and provided encouragement that while many sports are starting to see the impact an inclusive environment can have on athletes, there is still an enormous opportunity for improvement.

However, Simon’s advocacy was not confined to the sporting field. He was a tremendous supporter and ally of people living with HIV through his work for the Terry Higgins Trust in the UK and as an ambassador for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation.

Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Simon’s family and loved ones during this very difficult time. He will be deeply missed but his impact on sport and legacy is one that will not soon be forgotten.

Vale.

We encourage anyone who is need of support at this time to reach out to a friend or family member, or contact ACON on 9206 2000, QLife on 1800 184 527, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.