7. Ian Roberts
In 1995 Roberts became the first high-profile Australian sports person and first rugby footballer in the world to come out to the public as gay.
He was praised for helping to question prevailing myths about gays and sport. Paul Freeman wrote a book on Roberts, Ian Roberts – Finding Out, which was published in 1997
8. Sam Stanley
England Sevens international Sam Stanley became the first English professional rugby union player to publicly come out as gay in August 2015.
Now 26, the former Saracens back played in five Sevens World Series tournaments for England and belongs to one of the sport’s most famous families.