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Keegan Hirst, who made history as the UK’s first openly gay professional rugby player, has announced he will retire at the end of this season.

Hirst joined the pro league back in 2008 when he landed a spot playing for the Bradford Bulls. He’s circulated throughout the league since, landing stints with the Dewberry Rams, Hunslet Hawks, Featherstone Rovers and Wakefield Trinity. Now 32, Hirst has said he will leave the league for greener pastures.

“So, I’ve decided to retire from rugby league, the game that has been part of my life for the last 20 years,” Hirst said in a statement, posted to Twitter. “It’s with a touch of sadness, a hell of a lot of memories, and a hell of a lot of gratitude that I say farewell to RL.”

Related: The Rock loves out rugby star Keegan Hirst’s speedo-clad impression of The Rock

“Do what you love for as long as you can, but don’t do it because of a sense of obligation or pleasing someone else. Nobody benefits from that. Trust me on that one,” he continues. “Be brave, be bold. Embrace change and f*cking go for it. What’s the worst that could happen?”

 

 

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Hirst knows a thing or two about being brave. In 2015 he became the first British professional rugby league player to come out as gay. Prior to his coming out Hirst had married and divorced a woman. They have two children together.

 

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Frankly, we’ll be sorry to see Hirst go, though we hope his retirement from rugby doesn’t mean retirement from public life.

 

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Hope to see you soon, Keegan!

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