Olympic legend Mark Foster reveals 'exhausting' web of lies he spun to hide being gay

Recognised for years as the world’s fastest swimmer, Mark Foster was also a master of deception - hiding the fact he was gay. Catherine, the ‘girlfriend’ the handsome 6ft 6in athlete wheeled out in public, was just a friend. Now 56, he says: “I lived a double life. I kept my work and home lives completely separate, never the twain would meet. I got very good at telling half truths and outright lies. It was exhausting. “When society tells you it's not right, whether it be from the playground, the changing room or the TV, I kind of went ok, whatever I'm feeling, I can’t be that person. That little secret became bigger and bigger.” As for Catherine, the Olympian-turned BBC pundit, says: “Her actual partner didn’t mind, thankfully.” Fearing a backlash, Mark only came out publicly aged 47 - until then, sharing the truth just with close friends and family. Now Mark, who lives in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex with his partner, strategic consultant Craig McKay, is sharing his experiences in a tell-all book, My Double Life. And he is sure there are still sports people who are concealing the fact they are gay. He says: “In the Premier League there has to be footballers that will be gay.” He says other gay footballers probably quit before their sexuality was discovered. “There must be stories of some incredibly talented, incredibly gifted footballers who felt they could not be openly gay in that environment, because they felt it wasn't going to be a safe place for them,” he adds. Mark recalls Justin Fashanu, the first professional footballer to be openly gay, who came out in 1990. Facing hostility from all sides, including fans, the media and isolated from his family, he took his own life in 1998, aged 37. Mark says: “His story really affects me to this day. He was incredibly brave, but it goes some way to explaining why many gay people, myself included, felt unsafe to come out publicly. “Do I think it's got better? Yes. Do I think it's where it should be? No. It's got a long way to go. People still use hate speech and call it free speech. There is still prejudice and widespread homophobia. It’s bullying.” Mark had his first same-sex crush, on James Bond actor Sean Connery, aged 11, which he was teased about by his sisters. He says: “When did I know I was gay? Maybe when I met my first boyfriend, Vince, at 21. I fell in love and realised it was who I was. But I didn't tell my mum until I was 23.” Mark’s mum, Sheila, now 84, has early onset dementia. He continues: “When I told my mum I was gay, she said she hoped it was a phase. What would she tell the neighbours? She then became my biggest supporter. “But it was frightening to be gay back then. The HIV crisis frightened a lot of people. It became another way of drumming up hatred for gay people.” Despite winning 47 major international titles and competing in five Olympics the six-time World Champion and 11-time European Champion, who broke eight world records, feared being outed. Afraid to tell the lads he shared rooms with on trips that he was gay, he continues: “Most of those men are now my best mates. But then I didn't want to take that chance. “Even when I was the Team GB swimming captain, I’d be on the coach having a chat, but getting ready with a response if anyone asked about my personal life. It was a tangled web of lies. “ In 2008, Mark was chosen as Team GB’s flag bearer at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, after which he retired. That autumn, appearing on Strictly ramped up his fame. He says: “I became a household name.” When his partner-of-20 years, Vince Constantine answer the door to journalists, he pretended to be a family friend. Catherine agreed to become his fake girlfriend, to throw people off the scent. Untrue rumours surfaced that he was dating sports star Colin Jackson. He says: “I’ve been friends with Colin since we trained near each other in Bath in 1997, we even shared a flat together. If you Google us, it’s on the internet that we were a couple. But I'm sorry to tell you that’s not true.” Mark has high respect for swimmers Gareth Thomas and Tom Daley, together with his great friend Clare Balding, for coming out as gay. Mark says: “She’s brilliant. She’s been a really good friend. It’s nice to see her sit with her wife Alice on Celebrity Gogglebox. She’s not afraid to be herself.” Mark finally came out publicly in a newspaper article in 2017 and is now in a good place. Of his partner Craig, who he met in a cafe, he says: "He took a chance on me five years ago. I am the most authentically myself that I have ever been. I don't have to dance around the truth, which is liberating.” He has even had ‘truth’ tattooed on his wrist in capital letters. He says: “There's that saying, ‘the truth will set you free’. It’s true for me.” Reflecting on his double life, he continues: “Four-time Australian Olympic swimming champion, Peter Evans, told me I didn't want to win Olympic gold because I didn't want to be seen. Maybe there's something in it.” But Mark is looking to the future now, not dwelling on the past. He says: “I decided to come out to help others and, if sharing my truth helps just one person feel like they can be themselves too, I've done the right thing.” My Double Life by Mark Foster out 2 July, RRP £22 (Bloomsbury Sport)