When Martina Navratilova revealed to the world that she was bisexual, way back in 1981, she endured a barrage of criticism and had to lose out on millions of dollars as many sponsors boycotted her.


Tennis great Martina Navratilova with Julia Lemigova during the 2014 US Open in New York City. Pic/Getty Images 

Navratilova believed the decision was a wise one as she hoped it would inspire other athletes come out of the closet. However, 34 years on, while Navratilova has become one of the biggest icons for gay rights, she lamented the fact that not many athletes, especially tennis players, took her lead.