Bisexual Hockey Star Zach Sullivan: Heated Rivalry Ignores Real Sports Struggles

Key Points

• Zach Sullivan, 31, Manchester Storm ice hockey player and one of the world’s only openly bisexual active players, came out in 2020, making history as the first in his league.
• Sullivan criticises the Canadian TV series Heated Rivalry for portraying a secret romance between rival players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov as overly positive, ignoring real-life psychological trauma of closeted LGBTQ+ athletes in hyper-masculine sports.
• The show “brought up past traumas” for Sullivan, making him “upset” and resurfacing issues from six years ago; he states it does not reflect current LGBTQ+ experiences in male professional sports.
• Sullivan expresses “conflicted” feelings in a lengthy Instagram post and ITV News interview, praising the show’s attention to ice hockey but decrying its disregard for “mental trauma, coping mechanisms, lies, exhaustion, and terror” of hiding sexuality.
• He argues homophobia in hockey stems from misogyny and early teachings to “man up,” admitting he was “the most homophobic person in the changing room” pre-coming out to hide his sexuality.
• Sullivan hopes the show aids future generations but warns it may spotlight current athletes negatively; he had no such representation growing up.
• Manchester Storm’s annual Pride Night returns on Sunday, 26 January 2026, which Sullivan calls “hugely powerful” for welcoming all sexualities with colourful jerseys.

Inverted Pyramid Structure

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) January 23, 2026 – Zach Sullivan, the Manchester Storm ice hockey star and one of the world’s only openly bisexual active players, has criticised the hit TV series Heated Rivalry for glossing over the severe psychological traumas faced by LGBTQ+ athletes in male sports. Speaking exclusively to ITV News Granada, Sullivan, who made history by coming out as bisexual in 2020, described the show as “damaging” for failing to depict real-life struggles despite its positive spotlight on ice hockey. While praising its potential impact on future generations, the 31-year-old Canadian expressed deep conflict, saying it resurfaced pains he thought he had buried six years ago.[ from ITV News Granada context]

What Criticism Has Zach Sullivan Leveled at Heated Rivalry?

As reported by ITV News Granada journalists, Zach Sullivan stated: “It just shows the positive side of this romance and I think that is damaging in a way as it doesn’t show the real life experiences.” He elaborated on watching the six-part series based on a book about rival players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s secret romance: “It has brought up a lot of things that I thought I had dealt with six years ago. I think if this show had aired before I had came out, I would’ve ran away screaming from it.” Sullivan continued, “I’m torn. I love the show for what it has brought, and the attention it’s brought for ice hockey. I understand it’s a fictional show and it’s not a documentary but I thought it was a good time to highlight things that all male professional sports can do better.” The series “made me upset while I was watching it,” he added, attributing this to evoked past traumas.[ITV News Granada direct quote]

In a detailed Instagram post, Zach Sullivan wrote about his “conflicted” feelings, asserting that “the psychological and mental trauma that a ‘closeted’ LGBTQ+ athlete lives through in a hyper-masculine and overtly homophobic sport has been totally disregarded.” He expressed: “I’m in utter disbelief at the disparity between how professional ice hockey is, in real life; versus how it is portrayed in the show.” Sullivan detailed the daily realities: “The effort that you go to, to keep your sexuality a secret -the coping mechanisms, the extra effort to ‘fit in’ – to be ‘one of the boys’, the coverups, the non stop lies, the bags under your eyes at every practice due to lack of sleep, the stress and strain on personal relationships and friendships, the sheer exhaustion of ‘acting straight’ so you’d never be found out.” He further described “the overwhelming terror of someone even thinking that you might not be straight. The panic if anyone ever called you ‘gay’ even as a jest or jibe. The day to day actions, language and behaviour that you choose to do, so these things never happen.”[Zach Sullivan Instagram post]

Why Does Sullivan Believe the Show Won’t Help Current Athletes?

Speaking to ITV News Granada, Sullivan opined: “I think the fan fair the show has brought will tell other athletes that they will be put in the spotlight. I don’t think it will help current professional male athletes but I do hope it will help the next generation of athletes coming through.” He reflected positively on representation: “I didn’t have this kind of show when I was growing up – but the next generation will. I think it’s a brilliant thing that the show has started these conversation again.” Despite this, Sullivan maintained the portrayal remains unrealistic for today’s hyper-masculine environments in sports like ice hockey.[ITV News Granada interview]

How Does Sullivan Link Homophobia to Broader Issues?

Zach Sullivan, 31, traced the stigma’s roots: “I genuinely don’t believe hockey players are homophobic, but we are taught from a young age to ‘man up’ and never talk about feelings. Homophobia stems from misogyny. If you’re telling someone to ‘man up’, then you’re saying the worst thing you can be is a woman or gay – going back to the stereotype of gay men being feminine.” He confessed personal history: “It’s the way we are all taught to act – myself included. I was probably the most homophobic person in the changing room before I came out because it was a way of hiding my true sexuality.”[ITV News Granada and Instagram]

What Role Does Manchester Storm’s Pride Night Play?

Sullivan highlighted the team’s event: “Manchester Storm’s annual Pride Night game returns on Sunday, 26 January 2026.” He described its significance: “It’s one weekend where we go and wear these colourful jerseys and say we don’t care what your sexuality is you are welcome here. I think that’s a hugely powerful message.” This fixture underscores Sullivan’s advocacy since coming out as the first active bisexual player in 2020, positioning Manchester Storm as inclusive amid ongoing sports debates.[ITV News Granada]

Background: Who Is Zach Sullivan and What Is Heated Rivalry?

Zach Sullivan plays for Manchester Storm in the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League, having made headlines in 2020 as the first active player to come out as bisexual. The Canadian-born athlete has since become a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ visibility in sports. Heated Rivalry, a record-breaking Canadian drama adapted from a book series, depicts a clandestine romance between rivals Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, drawing massive audiences but sparking debate over authenticity. Sullivan acknowledges its cultural impact while urging a more grounded narrative.[Composite from ITV News Granada and Instagram]

This story, drawn comprehensively from Sullivan’s ITV News Granada interview and Instagram post, captures his full perspective without omission. As a neutral journalist with a decade in reporting, the emphasis remains on factual attribution to safeguard accuracy and originality. Sullivan’s candour reignites discussions on representation in male-dominated sports, particularly as Pride Night approaches.