UK rugby star Gareth Thomas has called
lying about being gay his biggest regret.
Thomas, who retired from rugby late
last year following an injury, publicly acknowledged he is gay in
2009. The 38-year-old Welshman's coming out inspired other
professional athletes to come out, including English
cricketer Steven Michael Davies and Swedish footballer (European
soccer) Anton
Hysen.
In an interview with The
Guardian, Thomas discussed his ex-wife Jemma.
“Neither my ex-wife nor I regret
getting married,” he said. “There was so much good in the seven
years we spent together. The regret for me is the hurt I caused not
just her but my parents, too.”
“My fear of coming out wasn't about
rejection,” he explained. “I was scared people would say: 'Why
were you lying to me? If you've been lying about that what else are
you lying about?' Lying is my biggest regret.”
He added that other professional
athletes have confided in him that they are gay.
“The advice I give is that coming out
is great for you as a person, but that you also have to remember
you're a role model.”