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Suicide of Jordan Michallet: his wife Noélie wants to break the taboo on depression in rugby

2022-03-06T20:50:42.928Z


This Sunday evening, Noélie Michallet is the guest of the Canal Rugby Club (8:25 p.m.) to deal with the theme of depression in professional rugby. Her husband Jordan, player in Rouen, killed himself last January.


A drama that had affected all of France rugby.

On January 18, Jordan Michallet was found dead at the foot of a building.

The 29-year-old had fallen four stories.

The professional fly-half, who played at Rouen Normandy Rugby, had killed himself.

He suffered from depression.

Read alsoPro D2: tragic death of Rouen opener, Jordan Michallet, at 29

Almost two months after this tragedy, Noélie Michallet, the wife of this former rugby player, is the guest of the Canal Rugby Club (8:25 p.m.).

Surrounded by active players and former players like Mathieu Bastareaud and Sébastien Chabal, this 30-year-old woman wants to break the taboo on depression that reigns in the world of professional rugby.

I had a lot of testimonials from players from all over France,

reveals Noélie Michallet in an extract released by Canal +

.

Not one told me that he hadn't had a depression in his career.

No player dares to talk about it.

It's not normal for depression to refer to weakness.

»

This Sunday evening, Canal+ devotes a large part of its weekly program to depression in rugby: "r

ugby and depression, breaking the taboo

".

Noélie Michallet continues her fight, to give visibility to this disease, which is increasingly recurrent among professional athletes.

Through this testimony, the wife of this former player wants to "

pay tribute and denounce all the suffering that players may feel during or after their careers

".

Read also"Stunned", "no word": the Rouen rugby club in shock after the death of Jordan Michallet

A gesture that was “

the opposite of Jordan

” she assures.

He was a sunny person, never in the negative.

He lifted everyone up

”.

Due to his position and his role as captain at the RNR, the 29-year-old opening half assumed a lot of responsibilities, and everything went very quickly, says Noélie Michallet.

Jordan was going through a week with a drop in morale, as can happen to anyone.

He was very tired, morally and physically.

He was also under some pressure, as the club was close to the relegation zone.

»

Today, the one who married Jordan Michallet in 2020 regrets the players' lack of voice and asks for psychologists and mental health specialists within clubs.

In a week, everything went downhill.

Jordan didn't dare to talk about it, or else too late.

The Rouen club, if he had known Jordan's feelings and emotions, would have been there for him.

He would have helped him, wouldn't have let go.

But a player is always ashamed to admit his weaknesses, ashamed to say he's doing badly.

It would be essential and an additional key, to have people [within clubs, editor's note] who accompany to prevent this kind of drama.

If I can find a fight to improve the mental health of the players, then I will do it,

concludes the woman who will give birth to a baby girl this summer.

For Jordan, to honor him

.”

Read alsoPro D2: tribute and a minute of applause this weekend for Jordan Michallet, tragically deceased

Present on the set, Mathieu Bastareaud, current Toulon third line and 54 selections for the France team, also confided in this disease.

I knew him at different parts of my career.

It's true that it's not easy to talk about it because we are told every day that we are privileged because we earn a good living, but that doesn't mean that we don't have moments of doubt, sadness, weakness.

But yes, we can feel alone.

I didn't talk about it to my family but it's also difficult to talk about it to his teammates.

When you arrive in the locker room, you have to be strong.

So we grit our teeth and try to move on.

»

Also present on the set of the Canal Rugby Club, Marie-Alice Yahé returned to the difficult moments of her career.

The former captain and a scrum half of the France team (47 selections) had spoken of his depression after the end of his career in 2014. “

I was burnt out before the end of my career.

I ended my career on anti depressants and in a bun out.

But I couldn't say it, I had to be strong because I was captain of the France team.

»

Read alsoRugby: intense emotion in Rouen, who said goodbye to Jordan Michallet, his tragically missing player

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2022-03-06

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