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Gareth Thomas


Bearman

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Fair play to him as it would have been much easier saying nothing. The reaction of his parents (“Jesus Christ what’s next”) made me chuckle tbh. 

Not the death sentence it once was thankfully, Absolute travesty that the like of Freddie Mercury was only a few years away from benefiting from the treatment now available.

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When he turned out for league

'Shaw cross juniors, Birkenshaw, Mirfield, Heckmondwike Panthers, Stainland Stags and then the Heavy woolen donkeys... WARDY, STOZZA, GT, KARL OR KEAR MUST OF DROPPED A DIGIT FROM MY MOBILE NUMBER! :clapping:

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2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

Interesting to read that he was forced into this by people threatening to out him. 

As long as you reveal it to people you want to sleep with, it's nobody else's business IMO and up to the individual if they let anyone else know.

It's astonishing how well medical science has got on top of HIV. Wicked big pharma, eh.

"I am the avenging angel; I come with wings unfurled, I come with claws extended from halfway round the world. I am the God Almighty, I am the howling wind. I care not for your family; I care not for your kin. I come in search of terror, though terror is my own; I come in search of vengeance for crimes and crimes unknown. I care not for your children, I care not for your wives, I care not for your country, I care not for your lives." - (c) Jim Boyes - "The Avenging Angel"

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Always comes across as a decent bloke on TV. Fantastic rugby player who did wear his heart on his sleeve. Sad to hear he may have been blackmailed into revealing this as its very personal. I hope can use his fame to educate people further to combat the stigma that still exists about hiv and aids. 

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Yet another kick in the 'nads for someone who is a decent bloke, was one of the best rugby players of his time, and captain of his country in RU and RL. When he moved to Cru in RL he came in with no airs & graces, got stuck in, and was always popular with the fans up here. He certainly doesn't deserve all the personal insults, threats and violence he's suffered over the last few years.

Alfie, you're Cru and you'll always have friends up here - don't let the ba$7ards grind you down

cru....Cru.....CRUSADERS!!!!!!

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4 hours ago, tim2 said:

As long as you reveal it to people you want to sleep with, it's nobody else's business IMO and up to the individual if they let anyone else know.

It's astonishing how well medical science has got on top of HIV. Wicked big pharma, eh.

Antiretrovirals were discovered and developed by scientists publicly funded by the National Institutes of Health in the States, not by big pharma.

All big pharma did was purchase the patents for a song, and then use their monopoly on life saving drugs to charge 100x the generic price, and even worse in developing countries.

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"This isn't journalism and those involved should be deeply ashamed. "

This isn't the first time and won't be the last while freedom of the press is not limited in its ability to overstep the mark.

We should also attack ( not physically of course) anyone who thinks it's acceptable to smear, frighten, hurt and threaten anyone.

As for Gareth himself this is a sad and heartening story at the same time.

I have only one regret for him apart from his illness and that he didn't come to us sooner.

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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8 hours ago, Damien said:

I suppose that depends on whether you think big pharma tries to make money out of drugs to manage things like HIV or actually cure them.

Both

"I am the avenging angel; I come with wings unfurled, I come with claws extended from halfway round the world. I am the God Almighty, I am the howling wind. I care not for your family; I care not for your kin. I come in search of terror, though terror is my own; I come in search of vengeance for crimes and crimes unknown. I care not for your children, I care not for your wives, I care not for your country, I care not for your lives." - (c) Jim Boyes - "The Avenging Angel"

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13 hours ago, damp squib said:

Antiretrovirals were discovered and developed by scientists publicly funded by the National Institutes of Health in the States, not by big pharma.

All big pharma did was purchase the patents for a song, and then use their monopoly on life saving drugs to charge 100x the generic price, and even worse in developing countries.

That is a very sad and vindictive opinion!

Yes -  antiretroviral mediation where discovered by publicly funded bodies.

The nasty big pharma ( you talk about ) has developed that from numerous pills, to be taken at precise times with nasty side effects  into one tablet a day ( few side effects) which lets people live a normal life.

That one tablet a day, also reduces Viral Load to Undetectable and someone no longer able to pass on the virus!

Dam Big Pharma for developing  ONE tablet, taken daily prevents transmission and gives people a normal life and life expectancy!

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Much against my preference for letting the forum self-moderate, I've removed some posts from here plus others that quoted them. The posts were tasteless and just over the line but I was swayed by not wanting the forum to be seen as accepting or condoning things of that nature.

Nine posts removed.

"When in deadly danger, when beset by doubt; run in little circles, wave your arms and shout"

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14 minutes ago, ckn said:

Much against my preference for letting the forum self-moderate, I've removed some posts from here plus others that quoted them. The posts were tasteless and just over the line but I was swayed by not wanting the forum to be seen as accepting or condoning things of that nature.

Nine posts removed.

FWIW i had read them and think you did the right thing.. 

on the topic:

I find it utterly disgusting that ANYONE Is forced to do anything of this nature by someone else. I understand the papers sometimes "overstep the mark" when working "in the public interests" but this has been tested recently with the phone hacking scandal that "the public interest" is not an excuse to release information that frankly is of little or no general importance. 

Gareth Thomas can and does make a fantastic figure head for gay sportsmen (and i keep this to men as there are already fantastic roll models for gay sportswomen). He has been very forthcoming with information about his life and the issues he has faced etc and this should be applauded.. However, he has the right to privacy and that is especially the case around his health. Some would argue that he has waved some privacy by being quite forthright and open however there has to also be a limit to this. I am sure he would have brought this up at some point as, as this article has done, he would understand how times have changed but perceptions have not and he would be able to educate. But for him to do this properly he needs to be in the best "head space" to do this and that can take time, time which he should have been allowed. 

It is of no "national interest" to "out" his illness it is just in pure self interest of the paper to sell more. This is a man who has had mental health issues IIRC. He has found out about a life changing illness and one that is very personal to him and his family. To then put pressure on him like this is totally irresponsible and one wonders whether the paper were almost wanting a little more out of this story given his previous health issues by putting extra pressure on him. I may be being unkind in that thought but they certainly weren't doing it to help him or for any other "interest" that is out there. 

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3 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

Does this article confirm that a sportsman with HIV and who is on these superdrugs has a blood-mixing incident on the field (e.g. clash of heads), the HIV cannot be passed on?

The article says that

"There is now robust evidence to say, with confidence, that people on effective HIV treatment can't pass on the virus."

so I would assume that is the case, yes.

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9 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

Does this article confirm that a sportsman with HIV and who is on these superdrugs has a blood-mixing incident on the field (e.g. clash of heads), the HIV cannot be passed on?

Most people on HIV medication ( 1 tablet a day, these days ( superdrugs as you put it)) have a Viral Load of ZERO and there is mountains of scientific evidence  to show it cannot be passed on,  if that is the case!

If you want to worry, then worry about thousands of ( mainly heterosexual people) who never get tested and do not know they have it! ( approx 80% of undiagnosed HIV cases are straight people)

Or worry about Hep A/B/C in incidents on the field!

The reality is  a person on HIV treatment will have been tested for all that ( and treated if necessary), so you have less chance catching something from them than the rest of the team!

Theres is a thought to ponder!

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16 hours ago, kiyan said:

Dam Big Pharma for developing  ONE tablet, taken daily prevents transmission and gives people a normal life and life expectancy!

Antiretrovirals give people a normal life and life expectancy, not the single pill. Combining the pills into one happened after the patent had been bought by private companies and they held the monopoly on further research. There is absolutely no reason why the same scientists who developed the drug couldn't have continued to work on it with public money if it hadn't been privatised.

Rich people and people who live in wealthy western countries with publicly funded healthcare have this treatment available. People in developing countries rely on charity or are left to die because the right of pharmaceutical companies to exorbitant profit is considered more important than the right of poor people to life.

I say this as a former publicly funded scientist who then worked for one of the world's biggest pharma companies for four years. Big Pharma is evil.

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