Gareth Thomas Quotes

Gareth Thomas

Profession : Athlete

Birth : August 2, 1993

When I was 16 or 17 I knew I was gay, but knowing and accepting are two very different things.

Gareth Thomas

I became a master of disguise and could play the straight man down to a tee, sometimes over-compensating by getting into fights or being overly aggressive because I didn't want the real me to be found out. So I created this alter ego, knowing full well that I was living in my little fantasy bubble, my shell.

Gareth Thomas

If I keep getting letters or if I keep getting messages from people who are still taking strength from my story, who are still finding it difficult and struggling, then you know what, then I'll keep doing what I do.

Gareth Thomas

When the Wales squad met up for the 2005 autumn internationals, I was already concerned that we were slipping into bad habits. And, yes, the role of head coach Mike Ruddock was, in my opinion, becoming a problem that would eventually need to be addressed if nothing changed.

Gareth Thomas

Finding a release mechanism after the pressure of a Test-match week can take over, and the next game can seem as though it might as well be six months away.

Gareth Thomas

Sometimes, players find it impossible to see the bigger picture after games for the simple reason that we are the ones who have actually played.

Gareth Thomas

I wish Mike Ruddock nothing but the very best in whatever he does in the future. I will always remember him as the guy who had the confidence to make me captain of Wales.

Gareth Thomas

After giving up rugby, I wanted to keep busy.

Gareth Thomas

I know it's not easy for people to get to a gym.

Gareth Thomas

As a professional sportsman, working out has always been an important part of my life.

Gareth Thomas

Playing rugby has been my whole life and for me, keeping fit was part of my job. But when I gave up my career, I was determined to keep motivated, and that isn't always easy when you have lost the competitive edge to it.

Gareth Thomas

When I came out I hoped it would empower others - and it has.

Gareth Thomas

Every gay man will tell you that 'coming out' is like a weight lifted from your shoulders and beng able to walk down the street knowing that there is nothing for me to hide has been a liberating experience.

Gareth Thomas

I knew I was gay at 18, but to come out then would have meant I would not have achieved what I did in rugby. I loved rugby so much and it was so important to me that I made the decision to keep my sexuality secret. People may disagree with that, but it was my belief and my decision.

Gareth Thomas

Gay men are accepted in films, music and politics because people came out and broke the mould and stereotype in those industries. What I am trying to do is break the trend in rugby and sport in general and show any aspiring sportsman, regardless of his age, that the mould has been broken.

Gareth Thomas

People tend to be consumed by sport when the big events come up.

Gareth Thomas

The sports are almost different cultures so saying I prefer one to the other is wrong. Rugby union is guided by a lot of rules, league by the players.

Gareth Thomas

You could say I'm the pioneer in the way I have changed some people's perception of not only sports people but of gay men in general. It's also important that people also realise that as much as a pioneer I'm also just a normal person. I'm normal but I've done something that's pretty powerful as well.

Gareth Thomas

When you lie you live in fear as well.

Gareth Thomas

Times change so fast.

Gareth Thomas