Swimming giant Ian Thorpe received support and glowing praise Monday for revealing he is gay in a move advocates believe will help remove the stigma of homophobia in sport.
The five-time Olympic champion made the admission in an interview with British presenter Michael Parkinson aired by Australia’s Channel Ten on Sunday. Thorpe’s bravery in openly discussing his sexuality was a major talking point with fellow sportspeople, celebrities and commentators speaking up for the global icon.
The New South Wales Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby said his coming out would have a positive impact, particularly on young people.
“It’s a measure of how far we’ve come that Ian Thorpe is able to come out and I think it’s a measure of how far we have to go that it’s a news story,” the group’s Justin Koonin told reporters.
Olympic gold medallist and gay Australian diver Matthew Mitcham said the revelations were an important development to break down the stereotypes about gay athletes.
“I think it’s wonderful that he feels like he’s in a place now where he can talk about it,” Mitcham told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Mitcham said sponsorship commitments would have weighed heavily on any athlete deciding whether to go public with their sexuality as the stereotypes and the stigma are well known.
