A 27-year-old Swiss wrestler has come
out gay, making him the first openly gay professional athlete in
Switzerland.
Curdin Orlik, a “swing” wrestling
champion, came out in an interview with The Magazine.
“I'd rather be free than fearful,”
Orlik told the outlet, according to LGBT sports blog Outsports.
“I am like that. I can't help it. That's how I was born.”
Swing wrestling champions are
celebrities in Switzerland and are offered lucrative endorsement
deals.
Orlik, who has a 2-year-old son with
his estranged wife, said that he worried that he would lose
endorsement deals if he came out.
He added that he's known his sexuality
since he was 12.
Orlik said that he was overwhelmed by
the support he has received.