Bruce Mouat opens up about early struggles as a gay athlete ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics
“Coming out was a tough time for me," said Mouat
By Aaron Sugg
As Team GB curler Bruce Mouat prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics this month, the silver medallist remains determined to inspire the next generation of LGBTQ+ athletes.
The Edinburgh-born athlete won a silver medal in Beijing 2022, an achievement he says would not have been possible without coming out in 2013.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Mouat reflected on the challenges he faced as a younger sportsman and how he is now able to fully embrace himself as an elite Olympian.
“I wasn’t really performing very well” – Bruce Mouat on his sporting career before coming out
“Coming out was a tough time for me. The first ever person I told was actually a sports psychologist, because I wasn’t really performing very well,” he said.
Mouat came out as gay to his teammates in 2014, at the age of 19, a moment he says transformed both his personal and professional life.
“I wasn’t really enjoying my curling, but I really think it helped me to feel comfortable within the team environment,” he said. “Now, 12 years later, going to my second Olympics, I’m feeling pretty good about myself.”
He highlighted the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility in sport, realising he wasn’t just doing it for himself but for others. Now, just days before the Winter Olympics in Italy, Mouat wants to continue to represent.
“There aren’t many out gay men in sport” – Mouat on representing the LGBTQ+ community at the 2026 Winter Olympics
“There aren’t many out gay men in sport… I’ve had so many messages from people who maybe struggled with participation in sport, and they are now feeling encouraged by what they’ve seen,” he continued.
In a letter addressed to his younger self (BBC Sport), he reflected on the impact of coming to terms with his sexuality: “It does change everything. But you become a better curler, a better friend and a better person for it. Don’t be afraid of being different – it’s your superpower.”
His accomplishments extend beyond the Olympics. After narrowly missing out on gold to Sweden in 2022, Mouat led his team to a historic gold medal at the Curling World Championships in Canada in 2023.
In 2024, Mouat added a European silver medal, and in 2025, he and his curling partner, Jen Dodds, returned to Canada to reclaim their world title with a victory over Switzerland at the championships in Moose Jaw.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will take place between 6 to 22 February 2026.
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