Ice Art star Jamal Othman becomes a father through his surrogate mother

In the “Hin und weg” series, SRF accompanies Swiss people who overcome obstacles for love. One of them is former Olympic figure skater Jamal Uthman (36).

Uthman’s father is from Malaysia and his mother is from Switzerland. Having grown up in Münchenbuchsee BE, the now 36-year-old was soon drawn into the world. He lived in Asia for a long time.

Then the Frenchman Romain Haugenauer came into his life. After a long distance relationship, they moved to Montreal, Canada together and got married. Four years later, through surrogacy and egg donation, the couple became parents to baby Nom (six months).

“I always wanted a family,” Jamal Othman tells Nau.ch. Before the relationship with his partner, the former athlete had only girlfriends. “When I met Romain, I thought to myself: Well, then they won’t have children of their own. I have a lot of nephews and nieces. I don’t mind.”

A sudden desire to have a family of his own came. Unlike Switzerland, surrogacy is possible and legal in Canada.

Swiss people who want to have children have to find surrogates abroad. It is associated with high cost and effort.

In comparison: the “SRF bi de Lüt” family paid Ravi-Pinto 200,000 francs for their American surrogate mother. It was half the amount for Jamal Uthman and his partner.

The 36-year-old: “It’s very cheap in Canada, only because the dollar is low. We live here, so there are no travel expenses. Son Noam was able to drive the couple.

Is Canada more open to gays than Switzerland? Jamal Othman: “For me personally, yes.” It is a young country and made up of immigrants from Canada. “With that comes more tolerance. No matter what race, religion or culture, you have to learn to get along with each other. That acceptance extends to everything else, including sexual orientation.”

Canadians are “very open and open minded” to learning new things and not solving them. It sometimes disappears in Switzerland.

Although Jamal Othman loves Canada, he also misses a lot in Switzerland. “In addition to all the clichés like good cheese and Bundnerfleisch, mostly my family,” he explains. Fortunately, he can often visit his loved ones in Bern.

Either way, Jamal and Romain can’t imagine living in Canada for long. “We would like to go back to Europe. But not necessarily in Switzerland, the south of France is very popular at the moment. » It would be difficult for Jamal to live in Switzerland all year round. He laughs: “I need more sunshine.”