Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas agrees to £75k settlement in HIV lawsuit with ex

Gareth Thomas is a former Welsh rugby participant. He has represented Wales in each rugby union and rugby league and was the most-capped participant within the nation till being overtaken in 2011.

He got here out as homosexual in 2009 after splitting from his spouse and childhood sweetheart Jemma in 2007 and have become the primary brazenly homosexual rugby participant within the UK.

Thomas, affectionately nicknamed “Alfie” because of his “resemblance to the alien character on TV sitcom “Alf,” has struggled along with his sexuality for years and has recounted how he was repeatedly pushed to the brink of suicide.

He advised the Day by day Mail in December 2009: “I used to be like a ticking bomb. I assumed I might suppress it, lock it away from me in a darkish nook, however I could not.

“It was who I used to be and I simply could not ignore it anymore. I had gone by each emotion below the solar to cope with it.

“You get up one morning and you are like, ‘I can deal with this. Every thing is ok’, and the subsequent morning you do not need anybody to see your face since you suppose folks will know in the event that they have a look at you.’

Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas is pictured in October 2010

He continued, “Generally I felt so alone and depressed. I’ve stood on so many cliffs.

“I used to stroll to the cliffs overlooking the seashore close to our cottage in St Brides Main and solely considered leaping off and ending all of it.”

He was voted essentially the most influential homosexual individual within the UK the yr after he got here out and has since labored with a number of LGBT charities, amongst others.

Thomas is the youngest of three sons. His older brothers are Richard and Steven. His father, Barry, 69, is a retired postal employee and his mom, Yvonne, 70, is a former hospital secretary.

He started his sporting profession in 1994 in his hometown of Bridgend, the place he stayed for 3 years. He made his debut for Wales the next yr and represented his nation till 2007.

With 100 appearances, he was essentially the most capped participant in Welsh rugby union till 2011, when Stephen Jones accepted the award.

He performed for Wales on the 2007 Rugby World Cup, showing in 4 tournaments in complete

The total-back was the second-highest goalscorer for Wales after Shane Williams and captained his nation and numerous membership squads.

At membership stage, Thomas has performed for Bridgend, Cardiff RFC, Celtic Warriors, Cardiff Blues and French membership Toulouse.

Whereas in France, he was discovered responsible of assault in 2005. Two years later, he was banned from the sport for 4 weeks for misconduct.

Whereas nonetheless enjoying in France, he suffered main well being injury following a neck harm. He was later hospitalized and suspected of getting suffered a stroke, with fears the influence on his well being might have led to his retirement.

After marrying childhood sweetheart Jemma in 2002, the couple struggled with relationship points.

Thomas mentioned he “knew he was homosexual” across the age of 16 or 17 however did not settle for it till years later.

He admitted to dishonest on her a number of instances and insisted he all the time practiced secure intercourse when sleeping with males.

Thomas was a part of the ITV broadcast workforce for the 2019 World Cup in Japan

The couple have been married for 5 years, throughout which period Jemma suffered three miscarriages. They separated in 2007, the divorce was finalized in 2009.

Thomas continued to play rugby till 2011 when he suffered a damaged arm. After lacking two months, he introduced he could be retiring from the game in October this yr.

Since popping out in 2009, Thomas has labored with quite a few charities together with ChildLine, Terrance Higgins Belief and Stonewall.

He was an ITV rugby pundit on the 2011, 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

In January 2012, he entered the Movie star Massive Brother Home and completed within the backside three.

A yr later, he appeared on Dancing On Ice whereas working with skilled skater Robin Johnstone.

Thomas competes in Dancing On Ice in January 2013 alongside his skating associate Robin Johnstone

This was across the time a movie was about to be made about Thomas’ life. Actor Tom Hardy was set to play Thomas, however the movie later fell by.

His autobiography Proud was printed in 2015, which contained disturbing particulars about his wrestle along with his sexuality.

In November 2018 he was attacked in a homophobic assault in Cardiff metropolis centre. He took to social media to share his ordeal and urged South Wales Police to cope with the 16-year-old suspect by restorative justice.

In September 2019, he turned the primary main British sports activities star to be discovered to be HIV optimistic.

He mentioned he is been residing with the virus “for years” and in addition revealed he is now remarried to a person named Stephen, 56.

His husband doesn’t have HIV and the couple reside in Bridgend, South Wales with Stephen’s 23-year-old daughter Anna.