Thorpe Gets A Brazilian

International News, By Christian Taylor, 28th January, 2009

He’s denied it over and over and over, but it seems that people just aren’t convinced of Ian Thorpe’s heterosexuality. Like a dog with a bone, the Daily Telegraph have been digging around to find out the story behind a “mystery male friend” of Thorpe’s – they have revealed that he is Brazilian swimmer Daniel Mendes, and the two have not only been living together for three years, they’ve also recently been holidaying together in Brazil, where they celebrated Christmas with Mendes’ family.

Read the follow up: Ian Sets Us Straight.

Gay Or Nay? The top 10 ‘are they?’ or ‘aren’t they?’ speculations.

The article says that it’s the second time Thorpe has travelled to Brazil with Mendes in the last year, and the Mendes family have spent New Year’s Eve 2006 at the Thorpe household too. Foxtel have confirmed that Mendes had accompanied Thorpe to two events in the past 18 months – the 2007 Australia’s Next Top Model finale and the 2008 MTV Awards. But is that all there is? Is this just a media beat up? Or is there more to it?

Thorpe’s manager David Flaskas says that the men met through Thorpe’s former coach Tracey Menzies while Thorpe was training for the 2008 Olympics. They became training buddies, and then friends, but he says that’s all there is to it.

Six months ago Thorpe told media that he was in love with someone who did not live in Australia. When he eventually revealed that this person was a woman, many seemed unconvinced.

Thorpe’s sexuality has long been in question because of his not-so-typical traits, from designing pearl necklaces to taking care of his appearance and appearing as a guest on shows like Australia’s Next Top Model. In past interviews Thorpe has defended his actions, saying: “Guys are just guys, girls are just girls, all of us are different. Some guys are more in touch with their feminine side, interested in design and quirky things, some are blokey blokes.”

If Thorpe is indeed in the closet, it’s not hard to see why, when you take a look at how hard it’s been for out and proud Aussie diver Matthew Mitcham. He won gold at Beijing almost five months ago and he’s still yet to find a major sponsor.

“I won’t lie, it has crossed my mind that perhaps coming out affected my chances of sponsorship, and that perhaps I should have thought twice before telling the journalist about my partner,” Mitcham told Same Same late last year. “But I’d like to hope that Australia is beyond discrimination against homosexuality, and that that’s not the reason. But I’m an honest person, I knew I was going to be in the public eye. I thought keeping that part of myself hidden was kind of like lying. The country wouldn’t be getting to know me if they didn’t know all of me, the real me.”

Click on ‘Show All Photos’ underneath the photos on the right to view a photo of Thorpe and Mendes courtesy of the Daily Telegraph.

Read The Story ‘Ian Thorpe – I’m Not Gay’ From March 2007 Here