Rugby star Gareth Thomas, who became the only openly gay male athlete in the world when he came out of the closet in 2009, announced today he is officially retiring from rugby.
The 37 year old released a statement saying, "If you can't give 100 percent to rugby then you can't do it justice. This is a sad day, but I know that my time has come to an end as a player."
Thomas, who we named one of Out's 100 Most Eligible Bachelors of 2011, added, "I do not know what lies ahead, but I feel the challenge of something different excites me more than another year of rugby..."
One of the toughest rubgy players in the history of the sport (remember when he got his front teeth knocked out?), Garth Thomas has become a gay icon and hero to athletes of all orientations. With Mickey Rourke set to play Thomas in an upcoming biopic, his profile is higher than ever, and he's definitely going out on top of his game. What do you think should be Gareth's next career?
