I'm saddened to hear that another athlete has succumbed to the negative pressures of sport. A talented Australian cyclist, Jobie Dajka, was found dead on 8 April seemingly unable to deal with the aftermath of expulsion from the 2004 Olympic team for lying to a doping enquiry. The following year, an altercation with the Australian track cycling coach, Martin Barras, added to his woes which included depression and alcoholism.
Australian Swimmer Nick Darcy now faces a similar life situation - expulsion from the Australian Swimming team for a criminal conviction. What choices will he make with his life? Does he know that he has choices?
Dajka apparently warned Darcy of the dangers of bottling things inside and not seeking help. Its a shame that Dajka didn't take his own advice and seek help for his inner demons.
There is more to life than sport but when an individual's identity is so wrapped up with being an athlete it can be hard to consider the life outside. Identity governs everything we do, and when that is lost a person will feel confused and lost. They might make the mistake of thinking that without sport they are nothing.
In fact the opposite is true. They can do so much more, if they choose to, and seek the help to discover a new passion and most importantly, a new identity.
Yes, it is possible to change but it takes awareness of the need to change, a desire to do something about it and seeking help and support.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Dajka,Darcy - there is life after sport
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1 comment:
As a retired athlete, I am saddened to learn of what happens to our peers when we struggle to maintain "being on top". There are not alot of resources available to help us with the obstacles we face and its easy to get sucked into depression, fear and helplessness. Its very difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel when your stuck in the tunnel. I had assistance in my transition to a non-athlete world yet it was still difficult to move away from the sport mentality and to consider other options for my future. Thank you for providing an outlet for us to come together and support one another!
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