Gareth Thomas (born 25 July 1974 in Sarn near Bridgend) is a Welsh professional rugby footballer who plays rugby league for the Crusaders of Europe’s Super League. He previously played rugby union for the Cardiff Blues his position is normally at fullback, wing or centre and most recently played as a fullback for Wales.
According to Sports Illustrated, Thomas is notable as the world’s only current professional male athlete in a team sport who is openly gay.
We recently Thomas was listed as the most influential gay man in Britain:
The revelation of Thomas’s homosexuality in an interview with the Daily Mail last December confirmed what had been an open secret in rugby union for years after his separation from his wife, but it highlighted the taboo over gay people in professional sport. Thomas, the 35-year-old former Wales and British & Irish Lions captain, won 103 international caps and played club rugby for Cardiff Blues and Toulouse. He said in his interview that he was unaware of any other gay player “still in the game”.