THE DOMINANT SPORTS STORY of the last week wasn't news of the baseball strike. Nor did it have anything to do with the NBA, NHL, tennis or golf. It was the admission by Olympic champion diver Greg Louganis that he has AIDS.
Louganis went on national television with Barbara Walters last Friday to admit knowing he was HIV-positive four months before the 1988 Olympics, where he won gold medals in two events.The story had a considerable amount of pathos. The young, agreeable American diver hit his head on the board during competition and had only a few seconds to decide what to do, as a U.S. Olympic Committee physician stitched the cut.
In hindsight, Louganis says he made a mistake, even though doctors agree that with the chlorine in the pool and dilution of the blood, other divers weren't even remotely likely to contract the virus. Still, Louganis admits he erred by allowing Dr. James Puffer, a USOC doctor, to stitch his wound without informing Puffer of the risk. Puffer sewed up the cuts without using protective gloves.
"I was terrified. I didn't know what my moral obligation is at that time," Louganis told television host Oprah Winfrey.
He added that he didn't tell the doctor because "at that point I was almost in shock. I was paralyzed in fear."
Though the risk of getting the AIDS virus while diving in a pool are infinitesimal, the odds of getting it while stitching a cut are considerably greater. Had Puffer cut his finger while stitching Louganis, he could have contracted the virus far more easily than could any competitors. Fortunately, Puffer's recent tests for HIV were negative.
Louganis, of course, isn't the most famous U.S. athlete to announce he was HIV positive. Three years ago, basketball legend Magic Johnson held a press conference to announce he was HIV positive. While both athletes should be noted for their honesty, there is a big difference between them. Johnson went public with his story only hours after learning the news. Louganis waited nearly seven years.
Since last week's announcement, Louganis has been busy appearing on talk shows and television news magazines, detailing his past and promoting his new book, "Breaking the Surface." In many publications and broadcasts, Louganis is being lionized for his courage. When introduced on "Oprah" this week, he received a standing ovation.
His coach in 1988, Ron O'Brien, said last week that "Greg is the most courageous person I have ever met. He didn't have to disclose this information. He's not doing it for the money. Greg has never been about money."
O'Brien even went so far as to say there was "no irresponsibility on our part. We considered the risks."
Risks that Puffer would undoubtedly have liked to have considered, as well.
It's true, Louganis didn't have to make the news public. But he also could have avoided much of his dilemma. Had Louganis informed the USOC doctor of his condition, his worries about putting unknowing parties at risk would have been put to rest.
Though the decision was clearly heart-wrenching, Louganis had other options than to wait seven years to reveal himself. Since the odds of cutting himself in competition was unlikely, it seems reasonable that he wouldn't have withdrawn from the Olympics beforehand. But once he learned he had been cut, Louganis' problem became far more than his own. It was then the problem of everyone involved.
He did nothing.
It's likely Louganis did what most people would do when faced with such far-reaching consequences, and only a few seconds to decide. To his credit, he admits had made mistakes. He may even have shown a degree of courage by telling his story seven years after the fact. But the time for heroism passed uneventfully as he stood silently waiting for the doctor to stitch his head. By choosing to remain silent, he put the doctor and potentially hundreds of patients at risk.
Louganis deserves sympathy and perhaps even praise for finally coming out with his story. But to call him a hero, when he failed to made the heroic decision that day in 1988 is wrong. Louganis doesn't consider himself a hero. So why make him one?
Louganis says he now only wants to be honest with himself and the public. And real honesty dictates that Louganis is no hero, just a frightened athlete who could no longer live with the secret he kept inside.