The openly gay, retired player opened up to The Guardian , telling the publication, “Lying is my biggest regret.”
Suki Dhanda for the Observer
Via: guardian.co.uk
Thomas, who announced he was gay in December of 2009 and retired from the sport immediately following an injury in 2011, touched on being gay in the sports world.
On coming out:
My fear of coming out wasn't about rejection. I was scared people would say: "Why were you lying to me? If you've been lying about that what else are you lying about?" Lying is my biggest regret.
On his past marriage:
Neither my ex-wife nor I regret getting married. There was so much good in the seven years we spent together. The regret for me is the hurt I caused not just her but my parents, too.
On closeted players:
Other sportsmen have confided in me that they're gay. The advice I give is that coming out is great for you as a person, but that you also have to remember you're a role model. As a sportsman you take the money and the glory, but you also take the responsibility that comes with it and make sure the stories that follow are positive.
The full interview, in which he talks about identifying with Mickey Rourke, can be read here.