Gareth overwhelmed as his story leads to helpline calls rise
FORMER Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas’ revelation that he is living with HIV has led to a significant increase in phone and online inquiries, according to a prominent charity associated with the virus.
The Terrence Higgins Trust said the day after the ex-captain of Wales and the British and Irish Lions announced his diagnosis was the charity’s busiest since launching HIV self-test kits.
The i newspaper cited the Trust as saying that its website had experienced high volumes of visits on its page concerning the virus being undetectable, which means it cannot be passed on.
Doctors treating Thomas, 45, have said his condition is treated to the extent that it is considered undetectable.
Thomas told the paper: “I’m overwhelmed to hear of the positive reaction to my announcement and I hope it keeps on going.
“My message is about inspiring others to have the courage to speak out and not be afraid and to help educate people.”
Thomas had said earlier that he “absolutely would not” have revealed his HIV diagnosis if a newspaper had not threatened to publish it.
He also said that “tabloids will create their own law”, adding that he did not have the cash to fight them in court.
Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan told ITV’s Peston: “It’s not for Government ministers or Government to tell newspapers what to put on their front pages.
“We have a free, independent, vigorous press which I suspect all of your panellists and I and others have been the subject of at various points, and long may that last.
“But I think we can all empathise with ... Gareth Thomas and his family, and others, about being caught up in a situation like this and I think it must be very, very difficult to go through.”
On the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), Ms Morgan said it depends on whether people complain to the regulator about these cases and how they are handled.
She added: “I will be watching, if that should happen, that very closely.”
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.