Yahoo Finance Greg Louganis and Husband Johnny Chaillot Are Divorcing After Nearly 8 Years of Marriage
Greg Louganis is splitting from husband Johnny Chaillot after nearly eight years of marriage.
The Olympic diver, 61, announced the news of his divorce on Instagram over the weekend, writing that he and Chaillot "are respectfully and mutually ending our marriage."
"Marriage among all couples is more often than not challenging, and, particularly during #pridemonth, it's important that we say how grateful we were to be among the first gay couples to have the privilege to marry legally, and face these challenges so many do," he wrote in a statement.
"It's something not so long ago that many of us were certain would never happen. And so, we make this announcement with that in mind, and to ask for the respect and privacy of anyone heading down this new road we must embrace," he continued. "Thanks to everyone who has supported and nurtured us all of these years."
Louganis and Chaillot were married in an intimate ceremony in Malibu, California, on Oct. 12, 2013. They began dating in 2012 after meeting on the online dating site Match.com and became engaged almost exactly a year later on April 8.
"It was amazing because I have so many people from all facets of my life here tonight and they are all here and celebrating it is all wonderful," Louganis told PEOPLE of their wedding, at the time. "I already feel different. The ceremony was so reflective and representative of who we are."
Don Arnold/WireImage Greg Louganis, Johnny Chaillot
Louganis became one of the first high-profile athletes to come out as gay in 1994, six years after being diagnosed with HIV. In the early 1990s, he nearly died from a fungal infection.
"Some of the treatments I've had to go through are pretty harsh," Louganis told PEOPLE in January 2020, adding that his dogs, Nipper and Dobby, have helped him through some of his toughest times. "And when I felt most scared or insecure, my dogs have been there for me."
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Since retiring from professional diving, Louganis started training dogs for agility competitions and has even won a number of national championships with Nipper and Dobby, both Parson Russel terriers.
