A Deep Dive into the Life of Greg Louganis at DOC NYC

Written by Jacob Appet

Cheryl Furjanic’s Back on Board: Greg Louganis screened Sunday night at DOC NYC to a sold-out, overjoyed crowd.  The film blends archival footage with present-day interviews to paint a beautiful, complex portrait of an iconic Olympic champion.

Greg Louganis, the only athlete to ever win consecutive Olympic gold medals in both the springboard and platform  diving categories, is considered the best diver in the history of the sport.

Greg, who had hidden his homosexuality from the world,  learned before the 1988 Olympic games  that he had contracted HIV.  Not only was Greg taking AZT during the games, a drug with harsh side effects, but was also forced to keep his illness secret in order to compete.

Years later, Greg informed the world of both his sexuality and HIV status, and his decision to not disclose this information before the games became the subject of controversy, especially because of a dive in a preliminary round in which Greg dramatically bashed his head against the board.

The film follows Greg in the present day as he fights to keep the home he’s owned for 20 years and to reintegrate himself into USA Olympic diving in the wake of a long, troubled relationship with the organization.  We come to understand how Greg has fought against against  prejudice, self-esteem issues, and illness to lead a happy and inspirational life.

Greg’s long-time coach Ron O’Brien is a central figure in the story of Greg’s complex and fascinating life. In addition to coaching Greg to multiple gold medals, he came to take on the role of supportive father figure.

After the film, Furjanic and producer Will Sweeney welcomed Louganis and O’brien to the stage, who were greeted with an ecstatic standing ovation.

Greg told the audience that he’s learned over the years that “by sharing my weaknesses I was actually sharing my strengths…Nothing was off-limits.”

Greg also spoke to his deep bond with his former coach.  “I couldn’t have gone through it without him. He chose to stay by my side.”

Ron impressed the audience by addressing head-on the controversy of the 1988 Seoul games.

“My only concern was how the whole 1988 Olympic scenario would be received. If he had been a wrestler, a boxer, it would have been a totally different story. I felt he earned the right to his place in history.”

In a response to a question from Greg’s husband Johnny, Director Cheryl Furjanic admitted that it was originally a challenge to get beyond the “sound-bite version” of some aspects of Greg’s life.  But over time she developed an intense trust and friendship with the subject of her film.

“You know she was my therapist,” exclaimed Greg to audience laughter.  “The entire crew-they all became a part of the family.”

For more about Back on Board: Greg Louganis, visit the film page on the DOC NYC website.

Jacob Appet is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @jacobappet