Australian Olympian Simon Dunn died suddenly at 35

FPI / January 25, 2023

Australian Olympian and rugby player Simon Dunn died suddenly on Saturday. He was 35.

Dunn’s body was reportedly found at his home in Sydney. Police said the death was not suspicious and were going on the assumption that there was a medical reason for Dunn's passing, according to Yahoo Sports.

A cause of death has not been reported.

Dunn was the nation’s first openly gay Olympic bobsledder.

After retiring from the bobsled team in 2016, Dunn played for an all-gay rugby team, engaged in media appearances, and explored acting.

In 2021, Dunn attempted to make a bobsledding comeback by working to join the Australian team for the 2022 Winter Olympics. But his dream was dashed when he ruptured a bicep muscle during training.

Dunn had blasted the homophobic culture of rugby, saying, “There is still homophobia in sport. It’s a culture that has been created and embedded over decades, and I think we’re still at the tail end of that with the work we need to do to put an end to it,” the Daily Mail reported.

Ruby Rose Management confirmed the news of Dunn's death with a statement saying: “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.”

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