Gareth Thomas claims journalist told his parents about HIV diagnosis

‘I can never, ever, ever have that moment back’

Gareth Thomas claims a journalist told his parents about his HIV status before he got the chance to.

The former Welsh rugby star revealed on Saturday that he had been living with the diagnosis, the day before completing a 140-mile Ironman triathlon.

However he claims that he “absolutely would not” have revealed his HIV diagnosis if a newspaper had not threatened to publish it.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday, the visibly emotional ex-Wales captain also criticised a journalist for telling his parents about his HIV diagnosis before he had told them.

He said: “I can never, ever, ever have that moment back with my mother and father of sitting down and telling them something so personal to me.

“They took that right away from me.

“With a journalist knocking my parents’ door and telling my parents that I’m living with HIV. Imagine what position that puts me in.”

When asked whether he would have spoken about his HIV without press involvement, he told BBC Radio Wales: “I would love to sit here and say yes, but I’d be a hypocrite if I did.

“Absolutely not. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else.”

“The tabloids will create their own law.”

The 45-year-old’s comments come the day after England cricketer Ben Stokes branded a front page story in The Sun newspaper about his family “utterly disgusting” and “the lowest form of journalism”.

Mr Thomas, who came out as gay in 2009, is thought to be the first UK sportsman to go public about living with the virus and has revealed that he was driven to suicidal thoughts as a result of his diagnosis.

Doctors have said his condition is “undetectable” because of treatment and cannot be passed on to his husband Stephen.

The former Cardiff Blues player won 103 caps and scored 41 tries for Wales between 1995 and 2007, and he is 13th on the all-time international test try-scoring list.