A former England and Wales Cricket Board coach, Graham Thorpe, tragically passed away last August after battling anxiety and depression. His widow believes that if he had received more support from the ECB following his departure from his coaching role, he might still be alive today.
An inquest at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking revealed that Thorpe had struggled with depression after losing his coaching job in 2022 and had attempted to take his own life. The coroner, Jonathan Stevens, mentioned deficiencies in the care provided to Thorpe by health professionals leading up to his death and ruled it as suicide. Thorpe had been undergoing therapy for mental health issues for 18 months before leaving the ECB.
Despite the ECB funding his treatment and extending his health insurance post-departure, Amanda Thorpe, his widow, expressed that more support could have been offered to help him feel connected during the transition period. She emphasized that if his cricketing career had not been abruptly halted, he might still be alive today.
Amanda Thorpe criticized the remote support provided as inadequate, stating that her husband’s mental state deteriorated despite requesting more assistance that was not forthcoming. The ECB has been approached for comment on the matter.
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