Former Olympic swimming champion Ian Thorpe and his partner Ryan Channing are set to become new parents.
The adorable couple announced that they are in the very early stages of planning a pregnancy via a surrogate in the US.
Ryan, 28 and Ian, 36, began dating in 2015 and were pictured arriving at a fertility clinic in Beverly Hills, LA this week.
“We’re talking about it and have for a while, but it’s still early days,” Thorpe told The Daily Mail.
“Yes, we decided to visit the clinic in LA – it’s all part of the plan at this stage,” he said.
Ryan told the publication having a family is something the couple has always wanted.
“Becoming parents is something that Ian and myself would love to make happen,” he said.
“Unfortunately the laws in Australia are difficult for same sex males in regards to surrogacy – California state law has really progressed in this space which makes it the best option legally.”
Unlike the US, Australia has very strict surrogacy rules. Altruistic surrogacy – where the birth mother is not given any form of payment – is the only accepted form of surrogacy here.
But overseas, it is very common for young fertile women to receive large sums of money to carry other people’s children.
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Ryan Channing and Ian Thorpe. (Image: Getty)
The couple have been dating since 2015. (Image: Instagram)
Ian with a friend’s baby – look how cute he is! (Image: Instagram)
Ian has previously spoken about his desire to be a father.
“I’ve said before, I’d like to have a family. I’m enjoying uncle duties at the moment. That kind of perfect level of responsibility. You create all of the fun and havoc while you’re there, and then you basically say goodbye. It’s great” he told Today Extra in 2017.
“But I would like for that (fatherhood) to be something that I think of in the future,” he said.
And he told Woman’s Day he “always wanted to have a family.”
“I’ve loved being an uncle and I would love being a father as well,” he said.
Ian came out as gay in 2014 during an interview with Michael Parkinson, after years of fending off questions and rumours about his sexuality.
He won a total of five Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004.
