South Wales police said a 16-year-old boy has admitted and apologised for assaulting the former Wales rugby player Gareth Thomas, who said he had been the victim of a homophobic attack in Cardiff.
The former Wales rugby captain posted an emotional video on social media in which he said he had been attacked.
Thomas, who retired from sport in 2011, came out as gay in 2009 and has since become a campaigner for LGBT rights.
In a video posted to his Twitter page on Sunday afternoon, Thomas appeared to have a bruised and cut face and said he had been attacked on Saturday night in the Welsh capital.
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“This morning I have decided to make what I hope will be a positive video. Last night I was the victim in my home city of a hate crime for my sexuality,” said Thomas, who played for Cardiff Blues, Bridgend and Toulouse in rugby union, before moving to the rugby league team Crusaders.
“Why I want it to be positive: I want to say thank you to the police, who were involved and allowed me to do restorative justice to the people that did this because I thought they could learn more that way.
“And also to the people of Cardiff who supported me and helped me because there’s a lot of people out there who want to hurt us. But, unfortunately for them, there’s a lot more who want to help us heal. So this, I hope, will be a positive message.”
In a statement, police said: “We are aware that a video has been posted on social media by former rugby international Gareth Thomas in relation to a hate crime which happened on The Hayes in Cardiff city centre on Friday November 16.
“We can confirm a local 16-year-old boy was dealt with by way of restorative justice following the incident at around 9pm.
“Restorative justice was at the request of Mr Thomas and accepted by the teenager who admitted assault and was apologetic for his actions.”
Responding to Thomas’s tweet, Jo Stevens, the MP for Cardiff Central, said: “I’m so sorry that you were subjected to such behaviour, Gareth. Wishing you a full recovery and hope to see you soon.”
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Neville Southall, the Welsh former international footballer, also shared a message of support. “Sorry it happened mate, but there are thousands who support you,” he wrote. “Love that you concentrate on the positives. Keep being a role model. Top guy.”
In 2010, rugby league team Castleford were fined £40,000 after their supporters chanted homophobic abuse at Thomas in his second Super League appearance for the Crusaders.
Thomas has been outspoken about homophobia in sport, and last year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK, made a documentary about homophobia in football.
He joined the MP Damian Collins, the chairman of the Commons culture and sport committee, in June to launch a draft bill to amend the 1991 Football Offences Act to explicitly outlaw homophobic abuse at matches. The act currently bans chanting of an “indecent or racialist” nature.
In an interview with the Guardian at the time, he was asked about homophobic abuse on social media. “I’ve built my resistance to be somebody who is willing to fight against that,” he said. “Now I’m not really in an arena where I could be openly abused; where I could feel unsafe. I’m less likely to be abused on the street than I used to be in a football or rugby stadium.”