I know posting a thread tying more than one issue can be challenging for some, even threatening, but I have enough confidence in the majority of OLOers being able to deal with that modicum of complexity that I'm hardly going to resile from doing so.

To the other less fortunate I make the point at no time did I say homophobia caused Thorpe's depression but it most certainly 'fuelled' it.

When asked by Parkinson if hiding his sexuality had caused his depression he replied “I know that it hasn’t helped.”

And he was quite explicit when the lie first started;

Quote

Michael Parkinson: What decided you to come out, now?

Ian Thorpe: Umm, well I’ve wanted to for some time. But I couldn’t, I didn’t feel as though I could. You know, the problem was I was asked at such a young age about my sexuality and you know I went to an all boys school. And I hate that it’s called an accusation because it isn’t a negative thing but this is usually the terminology we use. But I went to an all boys school so if you’re accused of being gay, the first answer is ‘no’, and you get ready for a fight! This is what happens, and I didn’t know at this age, I’m too young. And so the answer was no. Then, I carried this, the next way I answered this was telling people that I thought it was inappropriate to be asking a child such kind of questions.

Michael Parkinson: That’s certainly true.

Ian Thorpe: And also that it’s not appropriate for that question to be asked of anyone. But what happened was I felt 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 question that, have I lied about everything?

End Quote

Cont..

Cont..
As to the pathetic reasoning it was somehow pressure from the 'Gay lobby' that mostly impacted on him that is patently untrue.

Again from the interview;

Quote

Michael Parkinson: Thinking back over your life now, reflecting on all the reasons why you didn’t come out before now, was there one main reason that dissuaded you from being frank?

Ian Thorpe: Not one main reason, but you hear things. I heard a lot of homophobic kind of things, I mean I was subjected to homophobic kind of insults as well.

Michael Parkinson: -where? An example?

Ian Thorpe: Well, people in the street would yell out. They’d call me a faggot or whatever else y’know a poof for doing this

End quote.

Using Thorpe's homosexuality to beat up on gay people is inane, illogical and of itself screams of entrenched homophobia.

Hi all...Foxy. We all need to make money and how He/She sits with it all,is anyone guess.

Tally

yep Tiger was born an adulterer and Rolf was born with a bent towards young girls. Its not their choice.

Dear runner,

Actually, when it comes to children - adults
do have a choice when it comes to abusing
them sexually. Doesn't your God teach you that?
Or do you also justify the cover-ups, the
protection of abusive clergy and the refusal to admit
egregious mistakes by the churches?

What happens between consenting adults is one thing
but the sexual abuse of children by an adult - is
horrenduous and intolerable.

reflux re-quote..<<..Michael Parkinson:..What
decided you..to..*come out,..now?>>..[TIMMING=EVRYTHING]

<<..Ian Thorpe:..Umm,..well..I’ve wanted to
....for..some time...*But..I couldn’t,..I..didn’t feel..as though I could.>>

IE..[I../?\..THOUGHT..I WAS*..BANISHED]?[..
THE INFERENCE..BEING..*HE..'COULDNT'..'THEN'..
but\must now?

the torrid/TORPEDO/IN\SPEEDOES
HAS..AN AFTER-THOUGHT..?

<<..You know,..the problem\..was..I was asked..>>..

BY WHO..[A PRIEST?]..[asked;what?]

<<..at such..a young age..about my sexuality>>..

thats a mild-form/of\testing;reaction
[PRE-GROOMIng..;THE..'JOKE'~TEST*]
[I WAS..:..ONLY..JOKING..GEESH]

<<..and you know*
I went..to an all boys school>>..;}

[AND YA KNOW\What their like..
[soggy biscuite?/and other hazing test's
trial/tribulation[secrets/of\the -old schol-ties.]

[recall army hazing;same/same]
[ask/any old/boy\..;its..a game..[wink]..
then thugs\go gay-bashing..[but we../best/allow
*the girls..lol..to explain/the games..girls]/think\..BOYS-play

toR*predo.*THEN RELEASES

..<<.And..I hate..that/it’s called..an
accusation..because..it isn’t..a negative thing..>>

curious[this is..whats called
forensically..a micro-TRUTH-burst

step-back.<<..but this...is
usually the terminology..*we*..?use.>>

WHAT..WE?

<<..But I went to an all boys school..>>
[wink;ya know..parkie..like you]

<<..so if you’re accused..of being gay,..>>
THOUGHT ABORTED/recalls the coatching..?

<<the first/answer is,,‘no’,..and
you get ready..for a fight!>>[you know/your;going/yo-loose]>>..

<<..This is/what happens,..>>

and this/is how we\fix it..;)
remember to say..?

<<>.and I didn’t know..
<<..[at this age,..I’m too young...And so the\answer..was no.}..

<<.Then,..I carried this,..>>

[OTHER?..which\WERE NOW/..GLOSSING OVER?

<<>.the next way..I answered this..was telling people
that I thought..*it was inappropriate..to be asking....a child such kind of questions.>>

UNSPOKEN?..[BUT..YOU KNOW...KIDDY
FIDDLERS..PARKIE..they/persist..]

<<Michael Parkinson:That’s certainly true.
Ian Thorpe:..And also..>>

REMEMBERING HIS PREP-perp-COACHING...?

..<<>>that it’s not appropriate for/that question
to be asked..of anyone...>>

especially/me?

<<..But what happened..>>

..I WAS Confused
how i felt..?..FEEL[DEPRESSION;isnt..about sex/choices[SYMPTOM]

<<>...was I felt..the lie had become so big
that I didn’t want people to question my integrity.>>

i wanted to be a hero..again

<<..And, a little bit of ego comes into this...>>

but wait/the next bit=key*

<<..I didn’t want people to question
that, have I lied about everything?>>

End Quote
<<..Michael Parkinson:..was there..one main reason>>
YOU/CAN;REVEAL

<<that dissuaded you from being frank?
<<Ian Thorpe:..Not one main reason,..>>

LIKE THE MARFIA/VIA THE BACK CHANNELS
YOUR TOLD...AS HE WAS TOLD..

<<>.I heard a lot..of homophobic kind of things,
I mean..I was subjected..*to..homophobic kind of insults as well.>>

yes the poor child

.<<Michael Parkinson:<<-where? An example?

Ian Thorpe:[EDITED]..They’d call me a faggot..
or whatever else...[>>...ERR..<<.y’know a poof..for doing this..

TRAILS OFF..?
[What's deleted/..there../MID-SENTANCE
\why?