Depression and suicide in sport - Gary Speed and Robert Enke

The death of the former footballer and Welsh National manager Gary Speed came as a shock to the whole of world football. Speed, who was found dead in his Cheshire home on Sunday morning, had a successful playing career with several top English clubs over a twenty year career and had begun to have a positive effect as the international manager of Wales. Fans, players and officials have all been paying their respect towards a man who was admired for his character and ability on and off the pitch and have been stunned to the reasons behind his death. Suicide in sport is not isolated, English football will remember the suicide of the first openly gay footballer Justin Fashanu in the 1980s. The former Tour de France and Giro d’Italia winner Marco Pantani took an overdose in 2004. In 2009, the German international goalkeeper Robert Enke took his own life after suffering for years from manic depression. In fact in the past two weeks, Peter Roebuck, the former English cricketer committed suicide in South Africa and two international referees were both stopped in time before they were able to kill themselves. Many of the deaths have been influenced by psychiatric illnesses, predominantly depression, but it still does not tell us ultimately why someone reaches that nadir.

When hearing of Stan Collymore’s depression, his manager, John Gregory, famously asked how someone could be depressed when they earned £20,000 a week. A sportsman on the sidelines with a broken leg appeared more legitimate rather than your star striker suffering from anxiety. Society has always had a sceptical view point on the disease, but medical advances have changed the way we perceive those suffering from mental issues. Reading the accounts of many high profile stars, many who suffered from psychiatric issues often turned to drink to solve their worries the likes of Tony Adams, Paul Merson and Paul Gascoigne all had notorious problems with alcohol. Rugby star Jonny Wilkinson struggled after countless injuries and tennis player Andre Agassi resolved his issues through the drug crystal meth. Former Frank Bruno was sectioned by his illness.

Three recent winners of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year have all touched upon the subject. Marcus Trescothick’s autobiography profiled his anxiety attacks and portrays England’s finest opening batsmen turning to a nervous wreck, unable to leave his family home. Former England rugby player Brian Moore wrote about the difficulties he suffered as a child which plagued his professional career. Finally, announced the day after Speed's death, Ronnie Reng’s account of Robert Enke who threw himself in front of a train in 2009. The German goalkeeper had been tipped as the national side’s number one for the forthcoming World Cup, yet for the last few months of his life he had secretly been taking anti-depressants. Although several people were aware of his condition (though notably none of his teammates or coaches) they believed that he was doing fine and on the mend. Enke had suffered setbacks professionally and tragically lost his baby daughter a few years earlier, it appears to have sent him over the edge. As all three accounts highlight, the disease is all the worse because it is invisible and there isn’t necessarily a precursor to the attack. Trescothick wrote of the uncertainty and whether he would be able to face another delivery before 'the beast' struck him again. What makes it more difficult to comprehend is why some people take that extra step and end their life?

Studies have shown that men are three times more likely than women to commit suicide, possibly because they are more reluctant to express their feelings, which itself is a biological factor. Suicide is the second biggest killer in England and Wales in males under 35, yet studies show the men in their ‘mid life’ are most likely to do it across all age groups. This is mainly due to factors of work and relationship breakdown, particularly if children are involved. Some instances of suicide are factored through bereavement and the German writer Goethe’s ‘Young Werther’ killed himself because he thought it was the right thing to do, he even romanticised about it. Though sociologists that there are triggers and changing social controls that ultimately send people over the edge.

Gary Speed’s agent said in his statement that Speed had not been arguing with his wife nor suffering from depression. Yet the world will have to wait for the coroner’s report. One can only hope that if it is depression then the legacy of Speed and Enke will be society’s acceptance of the disease and the ability for sufferers to be open and frank about their thoughts to everyone.