Commonwealth Games: Athletes may be able to take Pride flag on to podium at Birmingham 2022

Katie Sadleir was appointed the Commonwealth Games Federation's first female chief executive in August

LGBTQ+ medallists may be able to take the rainbow flag on to the podium at next year's Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

In a wide-ranging interview to mark the launch of the Commonwealth Sport Pride Network, Sadleir also said she wanted to hear athletes' views on whether future Games should be held in countries with laws that discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community.

The new Pride network will bring together LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches and organisers from across the Commonwealth nations, including countries where homosexuality is currently illegal.

"The network is just the start," Sadleir said.

"We know how important sport is to change lives and thinking. So we started off by supporting Pride House, we now have a network - and I'm sure there'll be all sorts of ideas that come out of this.

"We're very open to them in terms of what our next steps are, in terms of understanding our hosting strategy and where we go in terms of our meetings.

"But this is the beginning, and I'm looking forward to hearing about what more we should be doing as a movement."

'People tell me how scared they are'

Michael Gunning has represented Jamaica at the past two World Aquatics Championships

Jamaican swimmer Michael Gunning, who is gay, helped to establish the network - having received a regular flow of messages from people unable to be their authentic selves.

"I get hundreds of messages every week from people from the Caribbean and different people in the Commonwealth, just telling me how scared they are," Gunning told the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast.

"They want advice - so we need this, you know. At the Commonwealth Games, lots of countries are coming together and no-one should ever have to feel like they can't be themselves.

"We've got figures like Tom Daley and Josh Cavallo coming out and being their authentic selves, and hopefully we can fly the flag at the Commonwealth Games and show that representation is there."

'Freedom of expression is something we are thoroughly embracing'

The founders of the new network say they hope it'll be a safe space where LGBTQ+ athletes and allies can support each other, and co-ordinate their activities as a community.

Increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ people in Commonwealth sport is another of the network's aims - and comes at a time when there has been major debate about the level of expression that athletes should be allowed at major events.

In the run-up to the delayed Tokyo Olympics earlier this year, there was much discussion around the subject of whether athletes should be allowed to make gestures during medal ceremonies.

The International Olympic Committee decided to relax the restrictions imposed under Rule 50 of its charter - meaning that athletes were allowed to "express their views" before and after competing but still could not do so during events, victory ceremonies and at the Olympic Village.

With the Commonwealth network now up and running, could athletes at Birmingham 2022 be allowed to display the Pride rainbow on their kit? And will medallists at the Games be able to take the Pride flag on to the podium with them?

"We are absolutely embracing that people can have freedom of expression," Sadleir said.

"We do have a code of conduct and there are some aspects about respect for other competitors and where you do what you do. But from the perspective of advocates and freedom of expression, it's something that we are thoroughly, thoroughly embracing.

"So we will be talking to athletes over the next six months in the lead-up to the Games about what that may or may not look like - but certainly, we are open to that."

Katie Sadleir and Michael Gunning were talking to Jack Murley on the BBC's LGBT Sport Podcast. You can hear new episodes every Wednesday on BBC Sounds.