Given the shortage of super-high-profile openly gay athletes, we’re left clinging to pronouns. Though this one certainly has my eyebrow raised. Ian Thorpe, the Australian “Thorpedo” who won a slew of Olympic gold medals in swimming, talked to Australia’s Sunday Telegraph about his present love.
“There is (someone special in my life), but they don’t live in this country,” Thorpe told The Sunday Telegraph.
The Telegraph even talks about the persistent rumors that Thorpe may be gay; rumors that Thorpe has rejected over and over. But given his use of “they,” it is certainly stirring the pot again; and I almost have to believe that’s his intention. With Thorpe’s aquatic performances a distant memory and the media focusing on Michael Phelps and others, he has certainly generated attention with this.
The pic was taken in 2004 at the Janet Evans Invitational with Thorpe (left) and Michael Klim. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was an Atlantis cruise. –Cyd Zeigler jr.
on Jul 18th, 2008 at 9:48 AM
This cynical creep had the opportunity to be such a great role model for gay teenagers – a legendary athlete, a nice guy, who happens to be gay – as far back as the 2000 Olympics (when I _was_ a gay teenager), I thought he’d come out. But he decided it was more important to be a “safe” brandname and make millions of dollars out of denying his sexuality and schmoozing with members of the Bush Administration. Now that he’s run to fat and people are forgetting who he was, he wants to reignite interest.
on Jul 19th, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Ouch…Why does he have to be your role model — a proud & openly gay athlete? He can swim fast — he’s not a Saint and he may or may not be gay. Let go of bitterness towards folks because they aren’t (or couldn’t be) all that you imagined. Just my two cents.
on Jul 21st, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Now he can be a role model to straight swimmers again!
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24055547-5012974,00.html
Seriously, though, so now he’s straight (apparently, though let’s keep hope he’s bi so young closeted gay swimmers can aspire to be something) does that mean we can fixate on who else might be closeted, denying folks role models?
on Dec 12th, 2008 at 2:23 PM
If Ian Thorpe being gay or not validates your own sexuality then you have more problems than being gay. Dude will come out if hes gay, maybe he wont. Ridiculousness that gay men in the public eye have to act a certain way. Heaven forbid he make money for himself and be politically active for the republicans…hes Australian…what difference does it make if he is “schmoozing” with Bush administration officials? Also, who cares if he got fat, maybe he doesnt want to spend 18 hours in a pool anymore…thats generally what “retirment” entails.
on Jan 25th, 2009 at 5:55 AM
Today he was pictured with a buff guy (“a close friend”) on a beach in brazil. Plus he now has a nice belly with a deep navel. He looks hot with a belly on him.