“Today I would like to share something personal with you: I am gay.” Swiss beach volleyball player Leo Dillier (25 years old) chose these words to come out on his Instagram account.
“For a long time, I had the impression of not finding my place in the world of high-level sport,” admits the Aargau native. Accepting who I am hasn’t always been easy, but today I can say that I am proud of who I am, both on and off the field.
Leo Dillier, who is aiming for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with teammate Marco Krattiger, hopes his decision to publicly reveal his sexual orientation, after so many years of hiding, will help others in the future.
“I really wish I had a role model in high-level sport that I could identify with. This didn’t exist at the time. I hope that today I can inspire other people,” he explains.
Several stars of world beach volleyball praised the courage of Leo Dillier. “You finally realized that your greatest strength was your honesty,” stressed Brazilian Vinicius Freitas. “You’re so good. The fact that we still have to talk about courage in this context today is the real problem. Thank you for the impetus given to everyone towards the acceptance of all,” reacted coach Lucian Hofstetter.
Nina Brunner, Esmée Böbner, Tanja Hüberli and Anouk Vergé-Dépré, four stars of Swiss women’s beach volleyball, also applauded Leo Dillier’s decision to speak out publicly.
