- Gareth Thomas, who came out as gay in 2009 discovered his condition while going for a sexual health check up
- He says he has been living with the virus in secret for years but chose to go public after being blackmailed
- He, however, claims his partner, Stephen, who he married three years ago does not have HIV
Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has gone public about his HIV status, revealing he has been living with the virus "for years."
Thomas is believed to be the first British sports personality to announce he is living with the virus.
Gareth Thomas reacts after finishing Ironman Wales on September 15, 2019. Photo: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
His announcement comes exactly 10 years after coming out as gay, in a declaration that took many by surprise.
The former British Lions captain said he was forced to disclose his condition after being put “through hell” by blackmailers who threatened to expose his secret.
Gareth Thomas stands at the side of the pitch during a Premier League match between Cardiff City and Fulham. Photo: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
"Hello I'm Gareth Thomas, and I want to share my secret with you. Why? because it's mine to tell you, not the evils who have made my life hell, threatening to tell you before I do, and because I believe in you and I trust you," he said in a footage posted on his Twitter page.
"I am living with HIV; now you have that information that makes me extremely vulnerable, but it does not make me weak," he continued.
The 45-year-old went on to pledge to fight the stigma associated with the condition that he has kept a secret for years.
In a recent interview with the Sunday Mirror, the former Cardiff Blues player divulged he received his diagnosis while undergoing a routine sexual health check-up in Cardiff.
Thomas married his wife, Jemma, in 2002, but later divorced before marrying his current partner, Stephen, three years ago after coming out as gay.
