Gay Australian diver Matthew Mitcham has revealed a methamphetamine addiction he had last year almost destroyed his career, and his life. After starring at the 2008 Olympics, the platform diver failed to make the final 12 at the London Olympics. In a book being released on Monday, Twists and Turns, the 24-year-old reveals his battle with the drug. Mitcham said that even after his Beijing gold medal win, he was still ranked number two: "I had still failed to achieve my childhood dream of becoming the best in the world at something," he writes - so he turned to drugs. He said he knew the dangers of meth, but "taking it was something I did to take my mind off things that were upsetting me, to make me feel better about myself." Mitcham also says he battled low self esteem, anxiety, depression and panic attacks and had resorted to self-harm as a teenager. The Australian Olympic Committee has told AAP the diver's use of recreational drugs doesn't fall under the category of performance-enhancing.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 17th November 2012 - 5:51pm