Leigh-Ann Naidoo

Leigh-Ann Naidoo (born 12 July 1976 in Durban) is a South African beach volleyball player.[1]

Leigh-Ann Naidoo
Personal information
Nationality South Africa
Born (1976-07-12) July 12, 1976
Durban, South Africa
Height1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb)

Naidoo began her career at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 1999 attending only the Acapulco Open alongside Alena Schurkova.[2] Already with partner Julia Willand she attended more stages in the 2004 season culminating with the participation in the 2004 Summer Olympics, in Athens.[2] They lost all three matches in the group stage and did not advance to the medal round.[1]

Personal life

Naidoo currently resides in Cape Town and has been with her partner, Kelly Gillespie, since 2007. She is openly gay and in 2006 became an ambassador and keynote speaker of the Gay Games, in Chicago.[3]

Naidoo was previously a Palestinian solidarity activist and in 2016 participated in the Women's Boat to Gaza, an attempt to break the Israel maritime blockade of Hamas controlled Gaza.[4] She was detained by Israeli authorities, processed and returned to South Africa within a day.[5] In a premeditated endeavour to attract media attention, and prior to the expected naval interception of the vessel, Naidoo pre-recorded a video message in which she falsely claimed that she had been "kidnapped" by Israel's authorities.

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Leigh-Ann Naidoo". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. "Leigh-Ann Naidoo Season Summaries 1999-2007". Beach Volleyball Database. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  3. "Leigh-Ann Naidoo profile". Federation of Gay Games. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  4. "Leigh-Ann Naidoo (Olympic Volleyball)". Women's Boat to Gaza. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  5. Adams, Tasneem (7 October 2016). "SA activist released". 91.3 FM: The Voice of the Cape. Retrieved 24 October 2018.


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