The Sydney Convicts Rugby Club hosted its second memorial game celebrating the life of Simon Dunn as part of its annual community day on Saturday afternoon.
The event, held at Woollahra Colleagues Rugby Club in conjunction with the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, celebrated Dunn’s achievements both on and off the field.
Dunn was the first openly gay man to represent any country in the sport of bobsleigh before retiring from the sport in 2016. He tragically passed away last year at the age of 35.
Alongside bobsledding, Dunn was a committed player for the Convicts, and was a Bobby Goldsmith Foundation ambassador off the field.
Dunn initially came on board with foundation in 2020 where he was known as a “selfless, compassionate and kind person who treated everyone equally, stood up for marginalised and vulnerable people and called out injustice”.
Nick Lawson, the chief executive officer of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, said the game on Saturday was a tribute to Dunn’s life, with all proceeds to go towards the foundation’s programs.
“This year’s Simon Dunn memorial game is an opportunity for everyone who knew Simon to celebrate and reflect on his achievements, both on and off the field,” said Lawson.
“This memorial game means that even though Simon is no longer with us, his memory and his message continue to live on. We hope that people will remember Simon for the passionate advocate and ally that he was for the LGBTQIA+ community and for people living with HIV.”
Fellow Convicts player and BGF ambassador Will Cooper said the game was an opportunity for the community to come together in a way that Dunn would have loved.
“He loved rugby, he was passionate about LGBTQI inclusion in sport, and this game and round provides an opportunity for people to come together in a way Simon would have adored and stood passionately for,” Cooper said.
This year’s game falls on what would have been Simon’s 36th birthday. Cooper said the day was a great opportunity to honour his memory and legacy.
“The past almost 18 months have had me think about him every training session, every game and trying to ensure I do him proud…this game allows us who knew Simon to come together, play a sport he adored and ensure we keep his memory and legacy alive,” said Cooper.
Eliot Hastie is a senior news producer at Channel Ten, reporting on a range of general stories, specialising in foreign affairs and LGBTQ+ stories. He’s also a reporter for Gay Sydney News, where he covers LGBTQIA+ culture, politics and nightlife. He previously helped to build and launch ausbiz, Australia's only live streaming finance news channel, where he was also an executive producer and host. He has previously worked as a finance and business journalist for publications including Fintech Business, Real Estate Business and other Momentum Media titles. Eliot holds a journalism degree from the University of Westminster and brings experience in both broadcast and digital reporting. Contact Eliot: eliot.hastie@gaysydneynews.com.au
