England rugby star Steve Thompson has admitted he hides his 2003 World Cup winning medals away as his dementia has made the memories disappear.
The 44-year-old former Northampton Saints hooker made 73 appearances for England for nine years between 2002 and 2011 helping them to World Cup glory against Australia. Thompson retired 11 years ago after a recurrence of a serious neck injury.
The England star was diagnosed with the brain degenerative condition back in 2020, which is strongly linked to repetitive trauma to the brain. He is speaking on a BBC documentary titled 'Head On: Rugby, Dementia and Me' which is aired tonight at 9pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.
The England hooker has admitted to hiding his World Cup winners medal and MBE received from the Queen due to not remembering the events, and he says it “wasn't worth it”.
"When people say 'you've got the World Cup medal' and all this, I feel like a phony because it feels like I haven't done it," said Thompson. "I can't remember it, it doesn't feel me. Sometimes when people talk about it I get embarrassed by it. It's all nice medals and stuff like that but at the end of the day it's why I am why I am now, struggling a bit.
"It's a little bit emotional about it. You see all this stuff and people say 'was it worth it?' And I say no it wasn't. I'd rather not be such a burden on the family."
In the documentary Thompson goes through memorabilia from his playing days, which he has stored away. It includes pictures of the winning-World Cup squad with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, but the former England hooker says he had no memory of it happening.
"Around four years ago some of my strongest memories started disappearing," Thompson added.
"Precious and private moments and all the career highlights of two decades of rugby. So much so that I packed away all my most precious memorabilia because having it around was too painful.
"We were at the (Buckingham) Palace, Number 10 (Downing Street) and I've seen the bus trip when we were in Trafalgar Square. It's bizarre because I know I've done it because I've seen the videos and stuff but I can't physically remember being like on the bus and talking to people.
"You speak to some of the lads and they say 'in this minute I did this'. Or they're watching the game and say 'this happens next'. I just wouldn't be able to tell you, scores of games or anything."
