Paper Cuts - Gareth Thomas
As part of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Sport Relief 2020 Kate Thornton interviews Gareth Thomas, one of the UK's most influential sportsmen, to discuss his personal and sporting achievements.
As part of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Sport Relief 2020 Kate Thornton interviews Gareth Thomas, one of the UK's most influential sportsmen, to discuss his personal and sporting achievements.
With 100 test match appearances Gareth is a rugby legend. Following his Rugby Union career, he also won four rugby league caps for Wales, scoring three tries.
He retired from rugby in October 2011.
Gareth came out as gay in December 2009, for which he was awarded Stonewall's Hero of the Year.
He said at the time "I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player, first and foremost. I am a man".
Since coming out, Thomas has become a vocal supporter of the NSPCC and ChildLine - a telephone counselling service operated by the NSPCC for children and young people.
In an interview, Thomas commented, "I don't know if my life is going to be easier because I'm out, but if it helps someone else, if it makes one young lad pick up the phone to ChildLine, then it will have been worth it".
On 14 September 2019, Thomas announced that he was HIV positive. The following day he competed in the Ironman Wales event in Tenby, finishing 413th out of 2,039, having vowed to "break the stigma" around the illness.
Kate will discuss Gareth's most memorable and successful moments with a particular focus on his recent advocacy work for mental health charities and the LGBT+ community.
