Rugby's Gareth Thomas says he is gay

Thomas, who retired from international rugby two years ago but still plays for Cardiff Blues, told the Daily Mail he doesn't want to be known as "a gay rugby player."

"I've been through all sorts of emotions with this, tears, anger and absolute despair," the 35-year-old Thomas said.

"I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to let people know and, to be honest, I feel anxious about people's reactions and the effect it might have on my family.

"I don't want to be known as a gay rugby player. I am a rugby player first and foremost. I am a man. I just happen to be gay.

It's irrelevant. What I choose to do when I close the door at home has nothing to do with what I have achieved in rugby."

Thomas said he knew he was gay when he was 16 or 17 but didn't accept it. He made his debut for Wales in 1995, and by the time he retired as captain at his fourth World Cup in 2007, the utility back was Wales' most capped player with 100 tests, and its leading tryscorer with 40.

The high point of his career was 2005, when he captained Wales to the Six Nations Grand Slam, helped Toulouse win the Heineken Cup, and led the British and Irish Lions in New Zealand after Brian O'Driscoll was injured out of the tour.

Thomas admitted to his closest Wales teammates he was gay three years ago, and said all the Blues know, and don't care.

He told the Daily Mail he hoped his admission would help future rugby players. He wasn't going on "a crusade," he added, but hoped to send "a positive message" to other gay people.