The Sunday Mail
Arthur Choga
In 1987, American singer Whitney Houston released her second album titled “Whitney”.
Four tracks from the album made it to the number one slot of the US Billboard Hot 100. One of them was a powerful ballad titled “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”.
Whitney set a record seven consecutive number one singles on the Billboard, which stands till today.
She was in her prime at the time.
In 1988, she would sing “One Moment in Time” for the Olympic Games in Seoul.
It was considered one of the greatest-ever songs done for a sporting event.
Whitney set records and changed perceptions around female artistes, paving the way for contemporary stars such as Beyonce and Rihanna.
However, she died on February 11, 2012.
A cocktail of drugs was later discovered in her system.
Her battle with substance abuse and addiction are well-documented.
Musicians live on the creative edge.
Their craft is dependent on a fertile mind that continuously comes up with new and exciting ways to keep people entertained.
Likewise, athletes are always looking for ways to train better, run faster, get stronger, and score and defend better – always looking for ways to get to the next level.
Athletes also live a structured life.
Some of them begin playing sports in their teens, adapting to a life of programmed training, match days and managed rest.
They live an adored life, parading their skills to cheering fans, being showered with love online and in real life, and sometimes being celebrated in the media and by national leaders.
It is a public life filled with glamour and glitz, at least on the surface.
The greatest motivation for sports stars is building their careers and making their fans happy. The fans drive the players to continually find reserves of energy they never even thought they had.
Sport in Zimbabwe, especially football, is a cash career. You play, you get paid.
Unfortunately, there is little to save and there are few opportunities to make the most from their pay.
When they reach the end of their careers, either through retirement or injury, their main source of income immediately dries up.
This is why players keep trying to play way past their time.
Some players build alternative careers or pursue studies in order to successfully transition into other spheres.
However, most of the players, especially those without sound education, usually struggle to live outside football when their playing days are over.
Having lived a life of being celebrated, sometimes it is easy for football stars to become addicted to drugs, which they are often showered with by adoring fans.
Tony Adams, the legendary former Arsenal and England captain, talks of his addiction to alcohol in an autobiography titled “Addicted”.
This year, he celebrated 26 years of being drug and alcohol free.
After his battles, Adams set up Sporting Chance, a charity that offers instant counselling to former sports stars who may be facing mental health issues.
It also offers awareness and educational programmes.
A critical question naturally arises: Where do our own “broken” sports stars go?
Former players face the risk of mental health issues because of loss of income and changed circumstances.
However, in Zimbabwe, admitting to suffering from depression can sometimes attract ridicule.
It is worth noting that Zimbabwe already has a mental health initiative, ‘The Friendship Bench’, whose work was showcased at the recent World Cup in Qatar.
Timely intervention could help prevent mental health issues for players and former players, thus reducing chances of these athletes ending up taking “guka”, “mutoriro”, “Bronco” and any other type of drug.
The Footballers Union of Zimbabwe has a duty to engage potential supporting organisations, both local and global, to ensure the dignity of former stars is protected.
In some jurisdictions, former players are taken up as pundits, stadium announcers, hosts and coaches.
Hopefully, the increase in TV and radio stations will allow some of the great football minds to find outlets for their creativity while earning some income.
There is an urgent need to consider the well-being of our former players.
Circumstances surrounding the funeral of the late Rufaro Machingura, where her family had to plead for assistance for her burial, are quite unfortunate and should not be repeated.
The Mighty Warriors legend was a COSAFA Cup winner and record breaker, who was feted by the media and fans alike for her exploits.
Let us wake up and assist our heroes.
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