Why professional athletes and Olympians struggle with life after sport | Four Corners

Around the world, fans love to share the triumphs and heartbreaks of elite athletes on the football field, the cricket pitch or in the swimming pool.

Australia’s obsession with winning has prompted governments and sporting bodies to pump public funds into the careers of young people who show promise.

But, unless they fall into scandal, we hear little about our champions once they are forced to give the game away.

Often, they do not do so on their own terms and can find themselves overwhelmed.

In this Four Corners, former superstars tell us how leaving sport created a dangerous vacuum in their lives and urge sporting bodies to do much more to prepare elite athletes for the fall.

Their accounts are raw, deeply personal and in some cases, shocking.

Read the Cricket Australia response sent to Four Corners relating to the assistance offered to its players after injury: https://bit.ly/3oTOvup

If you need to talk to contact these services:
Lifeline on 13 11 14 - https://www.lifeline.org.au/
MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 - http://www.mensline.org.au/
Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 - https://www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36 - https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
Headspace on 1800 650 890 - https://headspace.org.au/

_________
Watch more Four Corners investigations here: https://bit.ly/2JbpMkf
You can also like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abc4corners/
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4corners
And sign up to our newsletter: https://www.abc.net.au/4corners/newsl...
_____________

Видео Why professional athletes and Olympians struggle with life after sport | Four Corners канала ABC News In-depth