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Olympic gold medalists Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird have announced their separation after a decade-long partnership. The celebrated athletes, who first crossed paths during the 2016 Rio Olympics, took to Instagram on Friday to share the news with their followers.
“There really is no smooth or easy way to share this news,” the joint statement began. “After a lot of thought, we’ve made the decision to separate as a couple.”
They continued, “This hasn’t been an easy decision, but it’s one we’ve made together with so much love, respect, and care for each other. We’ve shared a whole life over the last decade, through big moments and in quiet ones, and that is something we’ll always carry with us.”
In addition to their personal announcement, Rapinoe and Bird revealed that their podcast, A Touch More, will also conclude as part of their decision to part ways.
The former couple also said their co-hosted podcast, A Touch More, will end along with their relationship.
“We are so grateful to this incredible community that has held us up, welcomed us in, and supported us exactly how we are,” the statement said. “So many of you have reminded us, again and again, why loving out loud matters.”
“Getting to create A Touch More: The Podcast and build a network around it has been a tremendous joy. The conversations, the laughter, the connection – it means more than we can put into words. While this chapter of doing the podcast together is ending, what we’ve built with you isn’t,” they continued.
“Thank you for being with us through all of it… it means the world to us. With so much love, Megan and Sue,” they concluded.
The breakup comes six years after Rapinoe and Bird announced their engagement in 2020 – two years after they “made history as the first openly gay couple to cover ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue” in June 2018, per the New York Post.