Pia Sundhage, the openly lesbian coach of the Olympic champion U.S. women’s soccer team, said Saturday that she was stepping down from her job and moving back to her homeland of Sweden.

In a statement released to the media, Sundhage said:

One of my favorite Olympic sports is synchronized swimming.

I discovered the sport when, as a child, I stumbled upon the black and white, 1952 film "Million Dollar Mermaid" with Hollywood star Esther Williams.

Synchronized swimming (often abbreviated to synchro) was not Williams' Olympic goal or sport of interest. She had hoped to compete as a swimmer in the 1940 Olympics, but they were cancelled because of World War II. Her aquatic talents were put to immediate use in Hollywood where her blockbuster films popularized the sport.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia -- Less than 48 hours after making the United States Olympic wrestling team in front of 13,000 fans, Stephany Lee arrived at the wedding chapel in a Ford Explorer carrying Colorado plates and a small entourage. She changed into jeans and a striped shirt. Beaming, she made her way to an altar sitting in front of five rows of padded pews.

UNITED KINGDOM -- 7,300 torch-bearers were named this morning and will carry the flame for 70 days and 8,000 through the UK in July ahead of the opening of the Olympics on 27 July.

Chris Basiurski, Chair of the Gay Football Supporters’ Network said of being nominated: “I am delighted and humbled at being chosen to carry the Olympic flame. For many years LGBT footballers have been on the fringes of society and at the GFSN we have worked hard to send out the message that football is for all regardless of sexual orientation.