Justin Lui retires from international volleyball after Paris Olympics
Canadian Olympian Justin Lui announced his retirement on 8 October 2026 after eight seasons with the national team, reflecting on Paris 2024 and coming out as gay.
Canadian volleyball player Justin Lui has announced his retirement from international competition, bringing an eight-season career with the national team to a close after representing his country at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Volleyball Canada announced Lui’s retirement on 8 October 2026, confirming that the 26-year-old was also stepping away from professional volleyball in Europe. The athlete from Pickering, Ontario, began playing volleyball at the age of 12 and went on to compete at the sport’s biggest international events.
Lui was part of Canada’s team at the Paris Olympics, where he recalled the emotion of sitting on the sidelines during the opening match against Slovenia and taking in the atmosphere around him. His national-team career also included four Volleyball Nations League rosters and selection for the 2022 World Championship.
His retirement is also a significant moment for LGBTQ+ visibility in volleyball. Lui came out as gay to his Stanford University teammates in early 2020, describing the experience as one of the hardest things he had worked through, but ultimately an empowering step towards accepting himself.
In the retirement announcement, Lui reflected on the courage it took to be vulnerable and said he was proud to be an openly gay athlete. His experience offers an important example for young players who may worry that being open about their sexuality could affect their place in competitive sport.
Lui credited his teammates, coaches and family for supporting him throughout his career, singling out former Canadian captain Nick Hoag and fellow libero Landon Currie for their influence and friendship.
Although his playing career has ended, volleyball will continue to be part of his life. Lui has been coaching young players and studying psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University, with the hope of combining his education with his passion for the sport.
His retirement closes the chapter on an Olympic career, but his openness about being gay remains an important part of the legacy he leaves behind.
