Samantha Womack

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Former Wales rugby captain Gareth Thomas has revealed he is HIV positive, says he wants to "break the stigma" around the condition

he said he wants to show how people with HIV are wrong, as "walking around with the walking sticks close to that of the die".

He also spoke of the "keep shame" and "fear", his condition secret.

He completed the Ironman Triathlon in Pembrokeshire after The Announcement - cheered on by the masses.

He finished the gruelling challenge in 12 hours and 18 minutes with high emotion at times.

It was a warm hug for the former Wales rugby captain, before he continued his race

on Saturday evening, Thomas said that he was forced to make The Announcement , after threats were made to expose him from the "evil" of his HIV status.

Since The Announcement , support for the 45-year-old ex-British and Irish Lions skipper utete.

It contained a message from The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry , on The Social platform Instagram, where he said: "Gareth , you're an absolute Legend ! In sharing your story, that HIV salvage+, you are, in life, and smashing the stigma by showing the life strong and resilient, while with HIV.

"We should all talk in horror about the way that they were forced, on their truth, it is you, and only you alone, on your terms, and I and millions with them. H"

The former Wales captain, who won 100 caps for his country, is to talk due to his diagnosis in a BBC Wales documentary on Wednesday.

In it, he says at his lowest point in 2018, he felt like dying.

Prince William was among the thousands of messages of support from Thomas after his emotional revelation.

"Brave as always, a Legend on the field and the Legend before," said a

"you will have our support Gareth . W. "

support for Thomas to The Epic Ironman challenge was immense, The racing Legend was able to roar back to his own cheer, thanks to the Brothers in Arms - ex-Wales rugby-mate Shane Williams Thomas at the Ironman finish

greets to undertake Public information campaigns in the 1980s, warning people to take precautions against Aids, have left a legacy to be misunderstood, he says.

advances in medicine now enable people who are HIV positive live long, healthy lives. With effective treatment, The Virus is not passed on.

Other than the guards at 06:00. take a single pill Every Day and the visit to the clinic for blood tests every six months, the state has little influence on the day-to-day life for Thomas

on the contrary, he is participating in an Ironman challenge on Sunday, which has involved, to swim him learn what to do with Thomas a way to demonstrate his physical and mental strength was.

"When I found out The First that I go To Live with HIV, The First thing I thought was immediately: I was going to die," he said.

"isn't It so that I know to blame people for this.

"This is a subject that because of the 80s scenarios, the people who don't talk about it, because this is the only information you have. "

He added: "The overriding question everyone said to me, The First question everyone says to me when I tell you, I'm living with HIV, is 'Are you OK?'

"And it is a really compassionate question. But, this is the most beautiful manner possible, it is a really uneducated question. "

Thomas said, revealing that he has HIV, was similar to that in the year 2009, because "The Fear , the hiding, the secrecy, the not knowing how people will react".

"But I think if it's all about my sexuality, which seemed to be just as it was, more empathy and more understanding, because you had to know more, because you could see in the telly and you could that there is LGBT representation on most platforms. "

Presented with a T-shirt, to discuss the then Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011, at a meeting of the sports figures, homophobia and transphobia in sport Who is Gareth Thomas ?

25. July 1974: Born in Sarn near Bridgend

1994: Makes debut for home town club Bridgend, and goes on to play for Cardiff Blues (twice), Celtic warriors and Toulouse

1995: Makes his Wales debut and goes to 100 games for his country, scoring 40 tries, and also appears in three British Lions Tests

2005: won the 2005 Heineken Cup with Toulouse and captains Wales, to their first Grand Slam in 27 years

2007: Wins his last cap for Wales in The World Cup

2009: "what do I do if I have to close the door, nothing to do at home with what I have achieved in rugby "

2010: Thomas switches codes to rugby league

2011: last

2012: in His post-rugby appear for the crusaders in Wrexham in July-career includes celebrity Big Brother , roles, pantomime, regular work as a rugby expert, and campaigns against homophobia in sport. Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke is involved, to play in talks, it is told in a movie

2014: Published his autobiography, Proud, which wins sports book of the year

2015: story of His life is to play in a stage Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage

in 2018: He Took part in Sport Relief, when he defeated his fear of heights with The Fire Department

Thomas, who lives on the third place in celebrity Big Brother in 2012 and reached the semi-finals of Dancing on Ice in The Following year, in the vicinity of Bridgend, with his husband, Stephan, 56. They were married in the year 2016.

In The Documentary , Stephen talks about how The Public will react, Gareth , The Announcement and the pair will be treated.

"I'll take it on Board and deal with it," he says.

"I'll cross when I come to him. "

Stephen, who is not HIV-infected, added: "I think it will teach so many people what is HIV. I was in love with one of the ignorant, I have to be honest, like so many people. "

"I think it's a fantastic thing he is doing. It shows that you have HIV but you can always Sake of the sport and the Ironman, for goodness. "

Getty when you have a secret that other people know about it you to really vulnerable to you. And I felt like I had no control over My Own life, Gareth Thomas

The Documentary , Thomas fear, and to consult with the legal representative shows, after a tabloid found out about his HIV status. It has led to journalists, to his parents home.

"I needed to take control of My Life ," he said.

"If you have a secret that other people know about it you to really vulnerable to you. And I felt like I had no control over My Own life. "

Thomas said that he felt currently, The Strongest that he ever in his life.

"I had a crappy roller coaster ride. My parents say to me, Jesus Christ. What's next with you?'.

"I had all the emotional challenge of revealing my sexuality and the confrontation with the sporty stereotype within, the.

"And Then I felt, "I am in the face of this" that have so many similarities. "

In the film, he has faith in Shane Williams , a former Wales international turned amateur triathlete and actress Samantha Womack .

In a BBC Wales interview, he said: "I'm trying to take control of My Life , but I'm not trying to break the stigma and educate for me. Because that is really selfish.

"I try to educate and break the stigma for all the I in each. "

The drug PrEP as part of HIV prevention What is HIV?

Ian Green, chief executive at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "I am very proud of Gareth Thomas , a friend. Gareth is the proof to do that a HIV-diagnosis should you do not stop you from what you want - Whatever that is.

"I hope that by speaking out publicly about Gareth , to transform the attitude towards HIV all too often are stuck in the 1980s.

"We have made great medical progress in The Fight against HIV-infection, which means that people living with HIV, as Gareth now lives a long healthy life.

"We can also say, without a doubt, that those who are not able to pass on effective HIV treatment, The Virus . This is exactly the kind of information that Gareth wants to Get Out . there are to challenge the stigma that surrounds getting this Virus "

Gareth Thomas : HIV and Me will be shown on Bbc One Wales on Wednesday, 18. September, 21:00 CEST

bridgend, gareth thomas, sarn, hiv & aids, cardiff

Source of news: bbc.com