The Price of Gold: Mental Health and Wellbeing in High-Performance Sport

Abstract

The day after New Zealand celebrated its highest ever medal tally at an Olympic games, Olivia Podmore, a 24-year-old track cyclist who had missed selection for the New Zealand team, died in a suspected suicide hours after writing about the demands of high performance sport in a social media post. Podmore’s death was the latest in a series of incidents affecting athlete mental health and wellbeing in New Zealand sports organisations, mirroring developments in other countries. This case explores what might have contributed to these problems: a population that takes great pride in national sporting accomplishments, a high performance sport system that prioritises Olympic medals over athlete wellbeing; and unequal power relationships between coaches and athletes that creates an environment where bullying can flourish. It concludes with actions that have been taken to create a fairer and healthier high-performance environment.