(Mod: Weak.)

.. Plans were thwarted by over indulgence in a lifestyle where fashion and spending indorsement money became more important than recovery and dedication.

52 Cans: (Yes he is Gay, but no, there is not anything wrong with that)

ShaneD

I saw the send up of him on 'Skithouse'. Was really funny. The skit was from 'Queer Eye'.

(Mod: Weak.)

"Hold the phone Blocker"

I'm trying to think of a gay joke incorporating "Thorpedo", but I can't seem to fire one off....

(Mod: Weak.)

If only Australian Basketball could produce a world class athlete like Ian Thorpe. He is a world class swimmer who has won 5 Olympic gold medals and heaps of worlds records but let's worry about his alleged sexual preference.

Some of the things said on this thread are disgraceful but respect has never been big on the agenda of a few posters on this site. Ian Thorpe is a champion and Australia should be proud of his achievements.

The only way ShaneD would know Ian Thorpe was actually a homosexual is if he turned him down one night

If anyone really challenged him over the past 8 years than maybe he would still have the motivation to go on. The fact is Thorpe had to go out of his comfort zone and into events that weren't his pet events and even into other strokes that perhaps weren't his best.

He was that much better than anyone who competed against him that no wonder he quit. Why would he want to slave his (rather large) guts out for 5 hours every morning at 4am just to know that no one is going to get close to him so whats the point.

Super career Thorpy, just wish you had a crack at the 1500m just to see how good/quick you could have been

I agree with the last few. What a champion, one of the best swimmers ever.
It is such a pity that he didn't have the determination to keep going and go down as easily the best ever.. the door is open to Phelps now to do exactly that.

Where were all these loving comments at the start of thread then. Having said that I agree that the comments are crap and we should be worrying about a guy who is still young retiring from a sport he onced loved. Would have said this comment earlier but I did not get the worm this morning

(Mod: Get lost. You're pathetic.)

I didn't start this topic for a bunch of homophobes to make predictable and boring jokes. Seriously guys, this isn't about being overly PC, just being a little mature and fair about things.

i agree Isaac, some people have been a total disgrace. I am prob sure they were all cheering when he won his 5 olympic gold medals.

One of the greatest moments of my sporting life was seeing Thorpe win the 200m at Athens.I actually had tears in my eyes when the national anthem was played. Thank you Thorpy for giving me and my mates such a wonderful moment in our lives at Athens. : ) You are a legend.

To the rest of you idiots attacking this legend, get a life, spineless cheap fools!

As some one earlier said - it is a worry when someone his age throws in the towel... i guess better to end it with dignity - than spiral out of control (a la Marco Pantani)... Good luck to him... Never liked him never loathed him - just another bloke i guess...

I only have one comment re this issue.

And that is with all athletes like Thorpe that go through the AIS programme (which is tax payer funded)why oh why do they not have to pay back the cost of their sporting education........just like HECS?

He and many others before and after him will and do earn millions from their sport/noteriety, but we the tax payers continue to hand them their start in life.

Shouldn't they have to put it back?

I gotta be missing something.

Even if just through media and charity appearances? Interesting point though.

Ian Thorpe was born to swim. Retiring at 24 is a waste of God-given talent.

Agreed. He was on track to become our greatest ever Australian athlete. If he won a few more Golds in the next Olympics he would have surpassed Bradman, Norman and even Warnie *shudder*.

Mods are a bit touchy on this topic fair dinkum...

MW - I wouldnt have said touchy.....I think mature is probably a better description.

As for wasting God given talent - he has achieved all his goals in swimming and cant get motivated to do it any more - seems fair enough to me. Move on - next challenge for him I suppose.

A bit similar to Jordan leaving the Bulls to try and play Baseball - but I doubt Thorpe will come back and do it all again.
As for if hes gay or not - who gives a toss?

As johnny Sack said above - I never loved him - never hated him - but I did appreciate the incredible achievents he made in his sport!

I find it hard to believe when he says he is in peak fitness now.
If he thinks he could go faster now than ever before why would you not go out on a high and announce that you will finish at the world champs.
Talk is cheap, especially when you havn't done anything for 2 years.

As world class athletes go, you look at +/- 10 years at the top qualifies as the very elite.

Given Thorpe effectively retired in 2004, he's a little shy of this mark. Maybe some of our current female swimmers and Hackett will soon surpass Thorpes achievements in the pool?

What's the potentential gold medal count for Hackett given a successful Beijing campaign?

He is going to write , direct and star in a new movie about a world class swimmer who leaves the sport at his peak because they can't take the public ridicule and constant questioning over their sexuality .

" STROKEBACK FOUNTAIN " starring IAN THORPE and PETER VANDEN POOINHAND .

Now seriously Thorpey you have been not only a great swimmer but you are highly evolved , emotionally intelligent , massively dedicated human being and all the sacrifices you have made over the last 11 years have given all of australia a massive amount of pride and enjoyment .

Cheers .

" STROKEBACK FOUNTAIN " starring IAN THORPE and PETER VANDEN POOINHAND .


that is in very poor taste

focus on the athlete not on his sexuality.

'If only Australian Basketball could produce a world class athlete like Ian Thorpe.' um Hello.....LAUREN JACKSON!

I think it would take a lot of courage to do what Ian did. Good on him, now he can enjoy all his hard work and early mornings, he is just lucky he can a lot sooner than others. doesnt mean he's letting australia down. just proving to follow your heart.

(Mod: Zzz.)

but whatever, you qualify yourself on a number of issues that he is gay or bi etc.

my point is why mention it

do you say Grant Hackett is a great swimmer and he's straight

do you qualify that Pat Rafter
was a great tennis player and he's hetrosexual?

you state you compliment him on his swimming yet you continue to hightlight the gay issue...

(would just like to note that I have never said there is ANYTHING wrong with being gay, nor said anything even remotely 'homophobic'.)

ShaneD

My take on Thorpe is that he has been seduced by the galmour and lifestyle that has come with his success.

At the age of 24 does he realise that people wanted to throw sponsorship $$ at him because he was such a damn good swimmer, not because he is a jet setting clothes horse?

I kind of feel sorry for him. I know he is well off, but wonder if he has the money behind him to keep living the lifestyle that he has been accustom too? Its just like lots of young AFL players that think that living the rich glamourous lifstyle is how it is always going to be; I think they sometimes forget that the payback for such lifestyles is a lot of hard work.

A very good friend of mine was heavily into swimming in his teenage years. Always up at 4-5AM for laps before school and so on. I think with swimming it could just be very, very easy to lose your enthusiasm and if you don't have the passion, find a way to re-motivate yourself, or find a new passion.