Sports stars start too young, retire too early

Libby Trickett is considering retirement at the age of 24. Casey Stoner has taken a leave of absence due to extreme fatigue at the age of 23. What’s happening to our star athletes?

It seems as though their lifespan, or ability to sustain a long-term career at the top, is being tested, not just as a result of the pressures of combining their athletic pursuits with ‘off-field’ commercial expectations but maybe as a result of careers started so young.

Take Casey Stoner, for example.

He started racing at the age of 4. At the age of 14 he and his family uprooted and moved to the UK, living out of a transporter, risking it all on his fortunes on a motorbike.

Working his way through the European racing scene, Stoner eventually put his crashing ways behind him in 2007 when, on his first year on a factory Ducati, he stormed to the world championship by a margin of 125 points thanks to ten race wins.

By the age of 21 he had already climbed the Everest of his sport.

Having struggled to retain his crown against a rejuvenated Valentino Rossi, his 2009 campaign was hamstrung by what was described as a mystery illness, initially diagnosed as anaemia.

Chronic fatigue appears to be the most likely diagnosis and as a result Stoner has missed the last three MotoGP rounds as he recovers in Australia.

All indications suggest that Stoner is simply burnt out.

Despite being loved in the family friendly environment of the Ducati factory team, he seemed on the outer of the MotoGP fraternity.

By challenging Valentino Rossi he received the wrath of MotoGP fans, even booed by fans at successive British races.

Combined with the pressures of leading a factory team and with the expectations of a whole country behind him, his illness may have been the result of unbearable pressure.

His loathing of media commitments and PR responsibilities certainly didn’t help him adjust to the burdens of being a world champion.

For a kid who admits that all he wants to do is ride, the reality is the modern sporting world demands so much more.

Perhaps as a result of having achieved his career goal so early, motivation, especially when on the back foot, was so much harder to come by.

Whatever caused his illness, the recent phenomenon of athletes either walking away from their sport at such a young age or suffering mental illness such as depression is as big of a concern as athletes who act out in public.

Perhaps the two are linked, stressing the need for balance and education to handle the expectations of their unusual place in the world.

While finding and developing talent at such ridiculously young ages may seem imperative in some sports, it also risks doing permanent damage to individuals who need balance, support and interests beyond the insular world of their sports.

Athletes who are increasingly treated like commodities cannot be expected to sustain careers over a long period of time let alone seamlessly adjust to life post competing when at such relatively young ages their careers are over.

Codes, clubs and sponsors need to remember athletes, no matter how incredible their achievements may be, have the same human frailties as the result of us.

Stoner will return to MotoGP in a month’s time in Portugal. Maybe the enforced lay off, which included spot of fishing in the North Territory, will help recharge the batteries and he’ll be ready to go.

Some are sadly speculating that he is reconsidering his long-term future in the sport, suggesting he may not be the same rider he once was.

Let’s hope he and Libby find the balance they need.

They deserve Australia’s support and understanding and should force a rethink of how our athletes are nurtured.