Hugo Hay, a runner for France competing in the Paris Olympics, has had some explaining to do. And people across the gay and LGBTQ community are listening.
First he was accused by British runner George Mills of behaving inappropriately during a 5000-meter run at the Paris Olympics. Running etiquette is an important element of distance running particularly on the track, as there are no lanes and starts are essentially en masse.
Now the French runner is “apologizing” also for tweets he apparently shared several years ago as a teenager.
Blick has a translation of some of the tweet from Hay:
Get off the sidelines and into the game
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“All the remarks go against the values that I carry and defend on a daily basis. I am no longer the stupid teenager who made insulting, hurtful remarks. Nothing, not even questionable humor, could justify them, neither in a private nor in a public setting,” Hay said, according to Blick. He also apparently apologized.
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On the international level, Hay has focused on the 1500-meter and 5000-meter, making the biggest name for himself in the latter.
He said in his “apology” the he is deleting the anti-gay tweets from a few years ago.
“Tonight, I am deeply sorry for everything that has resurfaced since yesterday,” he wrote. “Of course, I will delete all those tweets that do not belong here.”
Hay hasn’t posted much on Instagram since his pre-controversy finals kiss:
This year in Paris was the second Summer Olympics for Hay, who also competed in Tokyo. He finished 18th in the 5000-meter in Tokyo. At the Paris Olympics, in his home country, he finished 16th.
Mills finished 21st in the event at the Paris Olympics.
