MATTY'S MUSINGS

WE FLIP FOR MATTY:

Still wet behind the ears from his gold medal win in China for his 10-meter platform dive at the 2010 FINA Diving World Cup, Olympic gold medal winner Matthew Mitcham chats with The Advocate:

There was a lot of talk about how NBC’s coverage didn’t highlight your sexuality in Bejing — a controversy that you told The Advocate didn’t faze you a bit. You also said, “I just want to be known as the Australian diver who did really well at the Olympics. It’s everybody else who thinks it’s special when homosexuality and elite sport go together.” So now that the media is focusing more and more on your sexuality, do you ever feel like your personal life threatens to overshadow your diving talent and the sport at hand?
The media has to report on whatever is new and interesting — it’s its raison d'être. I’m lucky that whenever I’m not out there winning everything possible, the media still finds me interesting enough to write about me. Besides, there are far worse things to be seen as than gay. In fact, I can't think of many better!

Australian footballer Jason Akermanis very recently went on record to say that gay athletes should stay in the closet. What are your thoughts on his controversial statements?
Everyone was of the same opinion about his comments: Australians, foreigners, heteros, and homos alike. Even his football club suspended him for two weeks because they wanted to assure everyone that they don’t hold the same opinion as Akermanis. Bravo to them, I say.