Brazilian diver Ian Matos comes out as gay

Brazilian diver Ian Matos has come out as gay.

The sportsman – who is expected to compete in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics – said that he had been advised to avoid speaking about his sexuality until after the 2016 event.

“From a young age, I knew I was gay, but it was here that I got to live my sexuality,” he told newspaper Correia of living in the Brazilian capital.

Matos said that the pressure of hiding past boyfriends and avoiding going to gay bars had been too much of a strain.

He added that he hopes his decision to speak about his sexuality will not damage his career or potential sponsorship deals.

The star’s announcement comes five weeks after Team GB’s Tom Daley spoke about his sexuality in a YouTube video.