SportsNews

World Olympic legend, Ian Thorpe reveals regret about coming out as gay late

Published

2 years ago

February 21, 2024

World Olympic legend, Ian Thorpe has shared the reason he didn’t want to come out as gay during the height of his swimming career.

The Olympian, 41, who came out in 2014. told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday that he kept his sexuality hidden because he didn’t want any ‘distractions’ from his sporting career in the early 2000s.

‘I had to swim in the Olympics and had to win. I did not want anything to be a distraction for me. I don’t want people talking about this,’ he said.

Ian Thorpe

‘So every time it is alluded you may be gay, you’re thinking of it as a negative thing and as a young person you make it bigger than it needs to be. So I answered no.’

Thorpe then said he regretted concealing his sexuality for so long because it made the process of coming out feel much more confronting.

‘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.’

The five-time Olympic gold medalist came out as gay during an interview with respected English television presenter Sir Michael Parkinson in July 2014.

The athlete later revealed during an episode of This Is Your Life in 2022 that he decided to speak out about his sexuality because he was finally ‘comfortable’.

‘I was always doing this interview with Sir Michael Parkinson. I had just come out to my family and to my very very closest friends,’ Ian told host Melissa Doyle.

‘I had spent some time with [Sir Michael Parkinson] before the interview and told him, “You should ask me if I’m gay because I’m going to tell you I am”.’

Ian continued: ‘I needed to say it. It was the first time I felt I was comfortable enough to put myself out there. It was important for me to be my authentic self.’

At the time, the athlete declared: ‘I’ve thought about this for a long time. I’m not straight. And this is only something that very recently – in the past two weeks – I’ve been comfortable telling the closest people around me exactly that.’

The Sydney native was first asked about his sexuality at 16 years old and said he didn’t know at that stage but ‘was still gay at the end of the day.’

‘Yes, I lied about it. I’m now comfortable saying I’m a gay man.’

He also said he wished he’d come out earlier as his family and friends were supportive of him.

SportsNews

Chelsea mathematically out of title race after 3-0 defeat to Everton

Published

1 day ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Chelsea are now mathematically out of the Premier League title race.

This follows their 3-0 drubbing in the hands of Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night.

Liam Rosenior’s men came into the match with 48 points, looking to keep pace with the teams in front of them.

However, Beto opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half, before adding a second after the break.

Chelsea barely threatened Everton and looked flat for most of the game, before Iliman Ndiaye added a third.

The result means the Blues cannot match the 70 points that league leaders Arsenal currently have with seven matches left.

Champions Liverpool are also on the verge of being mathematically ruled out, as they have 49 points.

SportsNews

Super Eagles player bounced me from Iheanacho’s room — Osimhen

Published

2 days ago

March 21, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, has claimed that a senior member of the Super Eagles squad in 2017 sent him away from a hotel room during his first call-up to the national team.

According to the 27-year-old, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who intervened and welcomed him inside.

Osimhen revealed this while appearing on a Twitch livestream with comedian, Carter Efe in the early hours of Saturday.

He said: “When I came, I met Iheanacho. And I told him, ‘ah, see me, I’m gonna carry your boots.’ So he said I should come to his room so, he gave me his room number.

“So, as I got to his room — I don’t just want to mention the name — he had a roommate. So, as I knocked on the door, the roommate opened the door. So, he like bounced me out of the room.”

Osimhen refused to reveal the identity of the player who sent him away.

SportsNews

AFCON 2025; Drama as Senegal Reportedly Relocates Trophy To Military Base After CAF Decision (Video)

Published

3 days ago

March 20, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Drama as Senegal reportedly relocates AFCON trophy to military base after Confederation of African Football (CAF) viral decision.

‎It would be recalled that CAF stripped Senegal of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, awarding it to Morocco instead.

This decision came after Morocco appealed the result of the January 18 final, where Senegal won 1-0 in extra time.

‎ According to the CAF Appeal Board, Senegal had forfeited the match due to their players walking off the pitch in protest of a penalty awarded to Morocco, citing Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON regulations.

The controversy surrounds the AFCON final, where Senegal’s players walked off the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to Morocco.

In a clip circulating on the microblogging platform, X (formerly Twitter), a young man with glasses is seen holding the AFCON trophy surrounded by military personnel.

The clip captures the military personnel’s excitement as they support the trophy, with an officer recording the moment.

In a recent development, Senegal has announced plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with some officials and players expressing outrage and disappointment.