Nicola White: Olympic champion criticises GB Hockey after head injury ends international career

Olympic gold medallist Nicola White has criticised Great Britain Hockey's handling of a head injury that ended her international career.

The 2016 gold medallist felt "crushed" at being told late last year she wouldn't be considered for Tokyo 2020.

White, who also won bronze in 2012, said "numerous aspects" of the body's duty of care during her recovery from concussion should be looked at.

"I don't want anyone else to go through this situation," said White, 33.

The governing body said it had offered White bespoke support since her injury in 2018 and the management of her concussion met international standards.

White announced she was ending her 10-year international career in a lengthy statement on social media this week.

• White leaves GB hockey after almost two years of "soul-destroying" concussion

She has not played for GB since March 2018, when she collided with an Ireland player during a warm-up match for the Commonwealth Games.

Nicola White helped Great Britain win bronze at London 2012 and gold at Rio 2016

Speaking to BBC Sport, White said "the force of that impact span me round" and "I can still hear the thud if I take myself back".

She added that while it might have looked "innocuous" she felt as if she had been "hit by a train" and suffered debilitating after-effects of concussion, including being frightened she might not wake up when she went to sleep in the following weeks.

GB Hockey said that in November 2020, White sought "clarity regarding her potential return" and was told that due to there being few international fixtures before Tokyo 2020 and her limited training and game time since her head injury, it "did not see her realistically challenging for selection".

"The door remained open for her to return in the future and we wish her well now she's announced her international retirement," it said.

• Alex Danson-Bennett: Former GB captain retires because of long-term concussion

White wrote on social media that she had been "denied any form of fitness test, hockey trial, rescheduled return to play, or any objective targets" to help her rejoin the programme, and spoke of a "lack of care, moving of goal posts".

Asked if she had concerns about the GB Hockey set-up, she told BBC Sport: "I feel like potentially the support I needed could have been more effective, this was throughout the recovery.

"It was a long recovery, but I did it, and I was in a place where I could have maybe carried on my career. So I feel the care I was given could have potentially been more effective, more individualised, more personalised to me, rather than me fitting to the programme as such.

"There are numerous aspects that need to be looked at. There are ways we can do things better."

'I was ashamed of my depression during my recovery'

White was later diagnosed with chronic migraines and also struggled with her mental health during her recovery.

But she draws comfort from seeing other elite athletes, including the US gymnast Simone Biles, opening up about their own mental health struggles.

"I was ashamed when I hit my major depression during my recovery because of just the length it was going on and how frustrated I was not feeling okay and not feeling like I could function normally," she said.

• Why 'superhuman' Biles could change attitudes to mental health in sport

"It was not that long ago that I started to talk about it, but I feel like the more we do, the more it becomes acceptable.

"It's just like any other injury you have. There's help out there and I'm so thankful I accepted that at that time because it was a very dark period that you sometimes feel like you can't get out of."

A statement by GB Hockey said: "We take athlete care, health and wellbeing very seriously. Nicola has been very unfortunate to experience such an injury.

"We worked very closely with Nicola following her injury in March 2018, with support and bespoke medical care in place to early 2021."

It added it had also encouraged her to access further support from the British Athletes Commission.

"At all times Nicola's physical and mental wellbeing were the priority and her medical management followed international guidelines with regards to symptoms, rehabilitation and return to play," it continued.

GB Hockey said it undertook an independent learning review into concussion care, to which White submitted written information.

• The life and legacy of one of the UK's greatest talents: Join us for a celebration of Amy Winehouse

• Smalltown Boy: A powerful tale of a young gay man told through a disco classic