One thing I am curious about is the totally different reactions given by the Australian Public and the Press regarding Marcus Trescothick (English Cricketer) Vs the treatment dished out to Sally Robbins (Australian Rower).
Marcus Trescothick decided to quit the English Cricket Tour of Australia due to an unspecified stress related illness. Fair enough I say..Mental health is more important than any particular sporting contest, even the Ashes (and I am a cricket tragic). The press and public comment seem to agree with me, with Peter Roebuck from the Sydney Morning Herald writing quite a nice article supporting the Trescothick stance. However, I can't help but contrast this with the abuse given out to Sally Robbins in 2004 when she suffered a breakdown in the final of the Olympic rowing (in the womens 8's)
Everybody has an opinion about whether Sally Robbins should have been in the boat in the final, but you would think that her collapse/inability to row was due to some sort of stress related issue. So why did she cop the abuse? When it happened, I was thinking, stress got to her, but my co-workers and friends were scathing. Lazy said one. Not mentally strong enough for international sport said another. However a quick poll of my friends in the last couple of days seem to show remarkable tolerance for the English cricketer. So what is the difference?
Could it be another example of the Australian public's appetite for sporting triumph? The whole "Don't let down your mates" ethos? That Sally let us down by not being the quintessential Aussie who shows no weakness on the sporting field? Yet it’s ok for an English cricketer whose pullout enhances our chances at winning back the Ashes. Are we secretly thinking that all Englishmen are weak generally anyway?
I only pose these questions because I believe we should be sympathetic to everyone who suffers from Mental illness, even our own people. It is not a weakness, its just an illness that can effect anyone. It is one thing to suffer in silence like a lot of Australians. But we should also show our support for those who suffer in the harsh spotlight of international sport.
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