Advertisement

Concussion brings Alex Danson's hockey career to premature end

<span>Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian</span>
Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The British Olympic gold medallist Alex Danson has retired because of long-term concussion. Danson, 34, won gold for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Two years later, in September 2018, she suffered a freak head injury that caused mild brain trauma and meant she could not cope with bright light or noise for more than nine months.

She was on holiday with her boyfriend, now husband, and threw back her head and laughed when he told her a joke. She hit her head against a brick wall and the damage became evident as the days, weeks and months passed. Despite hoping to return, the British captain has called time on her career having last played in August 2018.

Related: Claire and Alex Danson: ‘We were told she might not survive. The family were very scared’

“After a long 18 months but a fabulous 18 years in the sport, it’s the right time for me to retire,” she said. “It’s been the most incredible journey I could have asked for, but my life has changed enormously in the last 18 months. My head injury has been life-changing and I still have problems with headaches every day.

“I’ve also moved, I’ve got married, my sister had a terrible accident [the triathlete Claire Danson was paralysed from the waist down after being hit by a tractor when cycling], and my priorities are more with my family. These have all changed my outlook on life.

“I retire very happy and very content with my decision. Throughout my career every choice was about what would make me the best athlete, so I don’t have any regrets. I played more games than I would ever have dreamt of, went to some fabulous tournaments and the moments with my teammates and the places I travelled to is what I’ll take away.”

Danson, who was appointed England and Great Britain captain in 2017, won 306 international caps and oversaw a huge transformation in women’s hockey, including the move to professionalism. She made her international debut aged 16 in 2001 and was awarded an MBE in 2017 for services to hockey.

“I started in a very different era,” she said. “When I was at school, I never dreamt to be a full-time hockey player because they didn’t exist. One of the proudest things is I’ve seen hockey transcend from amateur to a professional game. I’ll never forget the first time we won a world medal in 2010. I believe that put us on the route to learning to win. London was spectacular and, of course, that moment in Rio, that’s the pinnacle of anyone’s career. Receiving my MBE was the most surreal thing in the world. I was more nervous for that than I was for the Olympic final.

“More recently, leading my country in the World Cup to 10,000 people in attendance and it being live on TV was an enormous honour. We’ve changed the face of hockey in this country. It was an incredible way to finish my career, even though I didn’t know at the time. It’s a different world now. And to leave, when I believe there’s a way for it to go is very exciting.”

Danson informed her teammates on Thursday and is hoping to stay in the game in a coaching capacity. That includes becoming more involved in the Alex Danson Academy, which aims to increase participation among youngsters. “I’ve seen a lot of the game, I feel like I have a lot to give and it’s my turn to return that. Hockey entirely changed my life. I will do as much as I can to get the next generation of players loving the game.”

She also hopes to raise the awareness of head injuries, having worked with Headway, a brain injury charity, and the neurological specialists Hobbs Rehabilitation during her recovery. “There’s very little research about head injuries, mild traumatic brain injuries and concussions. I believe they are treatable. There aren’t any rehab facilities in the UK, and I would love to see that change. I’ll do whatever I can to support the right people.”

Looking ahead to Tokyo, Danson is planning to support her former teammates and is optimistic about their chances. “They’ve come together at just the right time. I think they’re going to do fabulously well. I’ll be their No 1 supporter out there, dressed up in red, white and blue, waving my flag and I’ll feel part of it in my own way.”

Alex has partnered with Investec and Clare Balding to tell her story. Watch at greatbritainhockey.co.uk/alexdanson