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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24302838-29277,00.html
Johns: 'Pressure will kill a player'
September 05, 2008 11:57pm
Article from: AAP
RUGBY league legend Andrew Johns says it's only a matter of time before celebrity culture pushes a high-profile football player to take his own life.
Johns, who went public on his battle with bipolar disorder last year, told the Daily Telegraph constant public scrutiny was making life unbearable for many leading players.
"We'll get to the stage where someone will do serious harm to themselves," he said. "There will be things that will happen, without doubt.
"You buy a paper and go straight to the gossip pages. No one wants to know someone scored four tries last night. They want to know what so and so did after they scored four tries," he said.
Johns said the experience of former Parramatta halfback Tim Smith, who quit earlier this year after battling bipolar disorder, was an example of the pressure on players.
"Tim Smith earlier this year went through an awful time when he was diagnosed," said Johns.
"Poor bloke was copping it left, right and centre - the reasons a lot of guys leave is just the pressure of it all."
Johns, who said his enforced retirement from the sport a year ago came as a relief, said he continues to battle daily with manic depression and will probably remain on medication for the rest of his life.