Ο MATTHEW MITCHAM ΜΙΛΑΕΙ ΣΤΟ THE ADVOCATE

Ο Matthew Mitcham μιλάει στο The Advocate

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NBC commentators did mention his dramatic backstory: After battling anxiety, depression, and burnout, Mitcham simply walked away from diving for more than six months in 2006. But that was as far as the network went. Boyfriend Fletcher’s name was never announced on the air, his presence in the stands never noted. Mitcham’s fifth-round dive wasn’t even broadcast. And even though Mitcham climbed into the stands to hug and kiss Fletcher after the medal ceremony, we never saw it. Soon afterward, an NBC spokesperson awkwardly tried to defend the network against accusations of censorship with the easily debunked excuse that “in virtually every case, we don’t discuss an athlete’s sexual orientation.” (NBC eventually issued a statement apologizing for the “unintentional omission.”) (...)

But even if Matthew Mitcham is the world’s best diver, it hasn’t translated to a raft of endorsements. He’s been tapped to be chief of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade, an unpaid, honorary position recently held by Margaret Cho and Rupert Everett. But although there has been some discussion with several sponsors, not a single company or brand has yet stepped forward to announce that Mitcham has received a major endorsement, calling into question whether his visibility as a newly minted gay icon may have hurt his chances at a lucrative deal. (Much of Mitcham’s training and competitive travel is underwritten by federal and state funding; sponsorship dollars would ostensibly be used to help him defend his title at the 2012 Games in London.) “Coming out may not have been very wise of him,” laments fellow diver Alex Croak, a longtime friend who trains with Mitcham. “I’m not an expert in marketing and don’t know what companies look for, but perhaps it [hurt him] as it is a risk for companies to take.”

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