This archive report was first published on 5 August 2019.
On August 5, 2019, a high-profile British sports person was reportedly planning to make a groundbreaking announcement on social media, revealing their HIV status to millions of fans.
The sports star, who has a massive following, intended to demonstrate that it is possible to live a normal life while living with the disease, using their platform to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
According to a source close to the star, the announcement was set to be made on Twitter, and the sports person was prepared for the potential backlash.
“It is courageous, given attitudes in sport aren’t always the most enlightened. But it will prompt an outpouring of support and praise,” the source told The Sun.
Human immunodeficiency virus can be spread through sexual contact and blood, and there are approximately 101,600 people with the disease in the UK.
Other high-profile sportspeople who have suffered with the disease include American basketball player Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who announced he was HIV positive in 1991, and British figure skater John Curry, who died of an AIDS-related heart attack in 1994.
