A British sports star is set to publicly announce next month that they are HIV positive. The sports star, an international, will make the announcement prior to an event in which they will be competing.
The popular star intends to make the announcement on Twitter in a bid to tackle the stigma of living with the virus, which can cause AIDS.
A source told The Sun: 'The star has given this a lot of thought and plans to make the announcement on Twitter. It will cause a sensation but they are prepared for that. 'It is courageous, given attitudes in sport aren't always the most enlightened. But it will prompt an outpouring of support and praise.'
Around 101,600 people in the UK have HIV.
Symptoms of HIV can include fever, a sore throat and body rash. In 1987 British figure skater John Curry announced that he was HIV positive before dying of an AIDS-related heart attack seven years later.
In 1991 US basketball star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson announced that he was HIV positive. Tennis star Arthur Ashe died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1993.
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