Mary Fowler Discusses Depression and Racism During Soccer Career

Mary Fowler has opened up about her struggles with depression and experiences of racism during her time with French club Montpellier. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Fowler, who joined Montpellier at just 17, recounts a troubling incident where she and her Dutch teammate Ashleigh Weerden received bananas instead of flowers at a farewell presentation in 2020.

This moment, described in her memoir 'In Bloom', highlighted the racism they faced as two of only six black players on the team. Fowler stated, 'Not receiving flowers was one thing, but receiving bananas wasn’t something I could laugh off and forget about.' This experience, coupled with other instances of feeling marginalized, led Fowler to question the intent behind such actions, finding it difficult to dismiss them as mere errors.

In her memoir, she describes moments when she considered retirement, revealing the mental toll that the environment at Montpellier took on her. Fowler also shares an experience where her physical health concerns were dismissed by the coaching staff, emphasizing, 'The coach wanted me to play in the game that day,' despite her experiencing chest pains.

This refusal to listen to her concerns taught Fowler about the importance of advocating for oneself. She reflects on a period where she just wanted to be a regular teenager rather than the athlete Mary Fowler, expressing a profound sense of relief after speaking with a psychologist and being ruled out of a national team camp.

Fowler's journey through depression and self-harm has been difficult, noting that while she no longer inflicts physical wounds on herself, she still sometimes struggles with redirecting her pain through neglecting her needs.

She urges the importance of kindness and supportive conversations to help lift others, stating, 'Depression doesn't discriminate; it can get you when you least expect it.' This candid discussion highlights the mental health challenges faced by professional athletes, reinforcing the need for mental wellness in sports.

The report states that ABC Sport has reached out to Montpellier for comment on these incidents.