Ian Thorpe: ‘I’m ashamed I didn’t come out earlier’

It’s been a big year for Ian Thorpe – and as a man with five Olympic gold medals to his name, he knows plenty about big years. 

Of course, what sets 2014’s landmark moment apart is that it took place far from the echo and shimmer of the swimming pool. It happened when Thorpe took a seat opposite Sir Michael Parkinson for a TV interview in July, and told the world he’s gay. 

Let’s be clear: this shouldn’t be a big deal. But it is. Because it speaks volumes about our society when people still fear the consequences of honesty. “I’m a little bit ashamed that I didn’t come out earlier, that I didn’t have the strength to do it,” he said. “I didn’t have the courage to do it, to break that lie.”(GQ Australia)