Tom Daley's fiance urges more gay sportsmen to 'come out and save lives'

Tom Daley's fiance has called for more gay sportsmen to "come out" and publicly speak about their sexuality after the bravery shown by the diver.

Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black said many young people in the LGBT community were "afraid" to play football due to a lack of openly gay players.

"It's incredibly brave to come out. I understand that for some people that's difficult.

"To those who do come make that brave act, you're saving lives. They truly are."

He went on: "There are a lot more gay kids out there who love football and want to play football and could be stars in football, but they're afraid.

"I urge more sportsmen, actors, people in the public eye to come out and dispel those myths, those lies and that shame," Black added.

Black, 42, who won an Academy Award for his script for the 2008 film Milk, about gay rights activist Harvey Milk, said the UK had been a "guiding light" for gay rights compared with other countries such as Australia.

The director's new television drama series When We Rise focuses on the LGBT rights movement across several decades.

"We have more progress to be made in the United States, and certainly in places like Uganda, in Iran and even Australia, that's fighting for marriage equality now, they need those symbols of hope."