Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas has revealed how immersing himself in fitness helped him fight through the darkest days of his depression and find inner strength.

One of rugby union’s most prolific try-scorers, Thomas was Wales’ most-capped player when he made his 100th and last test match appearance in 2007. He later hit headlines when he became the UK’s first openly gay rugby player and has won a great deal of admiration for his work speaking out about the stigma against homosexuality within the sports industry.

However, prior to coming out in 2009, Thomas has said the burden of “living a lie” drove him to the brink of suicide as he struggled with identity and depression.

In a moving keynote speech at SIBEC UK 2016 last week in Birmingham, the rugby star described the highs and the lows of his career and explained how his dedication to exercise and self-improvement helped him in his darkest hours.

“I can only speak from my own experience and comment on how exercise helps me…. (but) exercise can offer a positive solution for some people,” he told Health Club Management in an interview after the keynote.

“I feel that continually striving to improve and be better is an excellent value to apply across my life.”

“Exercise is also a form of escape. If I’m angry or frustrated, the gym offers sanctuary and a release, a way of dealing with the emotions. Nothing else offers me this in the way that exercise does.”

Physical activity is playing an increasing role in helping people to combat depression. Research has suggested that regular exercise sessions can help to significantly reduce the occurrence of suicidal thoughts or attempts among teens who are being bullied, while scientists recently concluded that a combination of meditation and aerobic exercise can prove particularly effective in reducing depression.

Meanwhile, a recent study commissioned by the Sport and Recreation Alliance found that more than eight in 10 people believe the government should plough more finance into sport and physical activity programmes designed to combat mental health issues.

To read the full interview with Gareth Thomas – exploring the future of rugby, homophobia in sport, and what gyms must do to become more accessible – look out for the forthcoming issues of Sports Management and Health Club Management.