He said that he made the decision to reveal it to the public after he came to terms that being himself is fine.
Last Tuesday, September 29, Japanese volleyball player Ryo Takahashi, a member of the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka team in the SV.League, delivered a personal news to his fans.
“I’ve been afraid to face my own side since I was a child, and I’ve been troubled and denied myself,” he wrote in his vernacular language.
“That means I’m gay and a member of the sexual minority,” Rui, who is the elder brother of another volleyball player, Ran Takahashi, proudly declared.
“For about 2 years, I spent time on the same team as my younger brother, Ran Takahashi, and it was the biggest thing for me. It was through talking to Ran that I was able to acknowledge myself for the first time,” he told.
“By putting my feelings into words, I was able to organize my mind, and I gradually started to think that ‘being myself is fine.'”
The 26-year-old said that he was able to come to terms with all his emotions having spent time with Ryo, their family, teammates, staff, and everyone involved who supported him.
“I am truly grateful for all the support you have given me in various situations so far,” he told them.
Rui continued, “As we welcome a new season, I wanted to take this opportunity to express my own words to all the fans who have always supported me.”
He also vowed to continue doing this best in volleyball and strive for personal growth in various situations.
“And for those who struggle with not being able to accept themselves, I would be happy if my words could be a small trigger for them to face themselves and make a change,” he said to other people reading his post.
“This is a sudden announcement, but thank you for reading until the end. I am truly grateful to all the fans and many others who have supported me. I would like to continue growing through volleyball in my own way,” he concluded his post.
