Great Britain’s Ellie Downie, the former European gymnastics champion, has announced her retirement from gymnastics at the age of 23, citing mental health concerns. Downie won 12 medals during her senior career, including the historic all-around European Championship gold in 2017. She made the announcement on social media, stating that it was a difficult decision that she did not take lightly but made it to prioritize her “mental health and happiness.”
In a recent interview, Downie agreed that her previous outspokenness about the abuse athletes faced in the sport had hampered her progress. She stated that when it came to team selections, she already felt like she was not selected before trials had taken place and that it was bittersweet. Downie’s retirement is another blow to British gymnastics, which is still reeling from a recent independent review into allegations of abuse in the sport.
The review found evidence of “appalling” abuse of gymnasts, leading to an overhaul of the organization. In the interview, Downie was asked if she had experienced similar treatment, and the interviewer mentioned that athletes in gymnastics were made to train on injuries, punished for needing the restroom, sat on by coaches, shouted and sworn at, and had their bags searched for food.
Downie said that it wasn’t the sport itself that made her retire, but how people were treating her. She still loves gymnastics and wants to stay within its realm. However, she wants to prioritize her mental health and happiness. The announcement is a reminder of the importance of mental health and well-being in sports and the need to address the culture of abuse that has plagued gymnastics for so long.