Team GB footballer Gemma Wiseman took her own life aged 33 just days before Christmas, coroner rules

FORMER Team GB Olympic and England football player Gemma Wiseman took her own life, a coroner has ruled.

The 33-year-old was part of the UK’s bronze medal-winning team at the 2016 World Deaf Football Championships in Italy .

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Mrs Wiseman was found in woodland close to her home in Rackheath, near Norwich , by concerned friends who were looking for her on December 16 last year.

She died at the scene, with her medical cause of death recorded as “constriction of neck structures”, Monday’s inquest in Norwich was told.

Her wife, Laura Wiseman, said in a statement read by the coroner that they had “planned to go to Cornwall over Christmas”, adding: “I didn’t know what Gemma intended to do.”

She said she had last seen her alive earlier that day.

In a statement read to the inquest, friend Chloe Callaghan said that on December 14 Mrs Wiseman was “very quiet” and “wasn’t her usual self”.

She said that in “all the years I had known Gemma”, who worked as a teaching assistant, “she had been very up and down with her mental health”.

“She told me of previous dark thoughts and an attempted overdose,” said Ms Callaghan.

She said Mrs Wiseman, whom she described as an “amazing mum and devoted wife”, had attempted to take her own life on December 15, the night before her death.

Mrs Wiseman’s mother-in-law, Christine Wiseman, said in a statement read by the coroner: “To my knowledge Gemma has always suffered with her mental health since an interview she did in 2017.

“She was asked about her dad, who passed away when she was five.”

In a family statement, Mrs Wiseman was described as a “kindred spirit to all of us”.

They said she was a “loving wife and mother – she always put other people first before herself”.

“We have lots of happy memories we will treasure,” the family said.

Norfolk area coroner Yvonne Blake concluded that Mrs Wiseman died by suicide.

She said: “I’ve been told she was a former Team GB footballer – that’s an achievement, isn’t it?”

She asked family members who attended court what position she played in, and was told she was a defender.

The coroner said Mrs Wiseman was medicated for depression and anxiety, and a therapeutic level of an antidepressant was found in her blood.

She said Mrs Wiseman had previously “taken overdoses”.

“Her friends say her mood had dipped before her death for about a month… don’t know why but it suddenly dipped,” the coroner said.

“She put it down to stresses of life, child, working.”

She added that she was “very low in mood for at least a month or six weeks before she died”.

She said Mrs Wiseman “seemed to have a bunch of good friends who were keen to help her and unfortunately found Gemma deceased in the woods”.

After recording that Mrs Wiseman died by suicide, she told family members who attended court: “I’m very sorry – it’s such a horrible thing to have happened for all of you.

“People feel so bad afterwards and tend to blame themselves.

“The sad fact is if somebody is determined to do it they probably will, that’s my experience.”

She added that Mrs Wiseman “obviously made an impact on people’s lives and they cared enough to say so”.

She had won other medals with England and Team GB, including a bronze at the 2013 Deaflympics in Bulgaria .

Gemma supported Norfolk FA’s first inclusive festival for girls and played for local clubs.

In a 2021 interview with Norfolk FA, Gemma said her football idol was David Beckham .

She revealed: “Girls who are not sure about playing football, you never know until you try and follow your heart.

“It’s important to have the girls look up to as role models , so they can prove them wrong and be able to play the sport that they enjoy.”

In 2016, footballing ace Gary Neville donated £20,000 to help the men’s and women’s deaf football teams get to the 2017 Deaflympics.

The former Manchester United and England defender made the donation in response to a tweet from GB Women’s captain Claire Stancliffe.

Wellwishers were distraught at Gemma’s death.

One said: “Our thoughts are with you Laura and Allie.

“Gemma always had such a wonderful smile and bubbly personality when we bumped in to you around Blofield.”

Another wrote: “We are so sorry to hear of your loss.

“You, Allie and family are in our thoughts. Lots of love.”

You're Not Alone

EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide

It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.

The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.

Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

• CALM, www.thecalmzone.net , 0800 585 858
• Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk
• HUMEN www.wearehumen.org
• Mind, www.mind.org.uk , 0300 123 3393
• Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org , 0800 068 41 41
• Samaritans, www.samaritans.org , 116 123

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