UK rugby star Gareth Thomas has weighed
in on San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver's anti-gay
remarks.
Thomas, who retired from rugby in 2011
following an injury, publicly announced 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.
Appearing on HBO's
Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Thomas was asked his
thoughts on Culliver's remarks made just days before the Super Bowl.
“No, we don't got no gay people on
the team,” the 24-year-old Culliver said. “You know, they gotta
get up out of here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff.”
“Like, first of all how does he know,
like 100 percent, that he doesn't have any gay team members. He
doesn't know,” Thomas said. “I just find it amazing that people
actually still think that way.”
Thomas called it “magical” that the
49ers condemned Culliver's comments.
“To me environments are made easier
when they start at the top,” he said. (The video is embedded on
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