After years of rumour mongering and denials, former swimming Olympic champion, Ian Thorpe has admitted that he is a gay.
He disclosed this while being interviewed by British talk show legend Sir Michael Parkinson.
Thorpe, 31 recalled he was first faced with the question of his sexuality when he was 16-year-old.
“You’ve always said that you’re not gay, you’ve always said that your sexual experiences have been with women. Is all of that true?”
“Well that’s true, but I’ve thought about this for a long time. I’m not straight and this is only something that very recently – we’re talking in the past two weeks – I’ve been comfortable telling the closest people around me.”
“I’ve wanted to [come out] for some time, but I couldn’t, I didn’t feel as though I could. The problem was, I was asked at such a young age about my sexuality.
“What happened was, I felt that the lie had become so big that I didn’t want people to question my integrity and a little bit of ego comes into this. I didn’t want people to think that I had lied about everything.
“I’m comfortable saying I’m a gay man. And I don’t want people to feel the same way I did. You can grow up, you can be comfortable and you can be gay.”
“A part of me didn’t know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay. I am telling not only Australia I’m telling the world that I am and I hope this makes it easier for others now.”
The Australian icon added that upon telling family and friends they admitted they had their suspicions but have been incredibly supportive. “I’m pleased to say in telling them, especially my parents, they love me, and they support me.
“I am telling the world that I am gay … and I hope this makes it easier for others now, and even if you’ve held it in for years, it feels easier to get it out.”
The record-breaker admitted that he is ashamed he didn’t come out earlier but said that he didn’t have the courage or the strength to “break the lie”.