“It was a very easy decision to make. The day after I killed my unborn child, I won a race.”
We abortionists are, on the whole, a modest and unassuming bunch of people; but I must blow our own trumpet over the assistance we have given female athletes over the years. Read here what some of them say about how abortion has helped them in their careers:
A BBC survey of elite British sportswomen has found that just over 4% of respondents have killed their children in order to maintain a top notch sporting career.
“I was 21. I knew life would be over for me doing what I wanted to do in my sport,” says Lucy, one of the 22 women of 537 survey respondents who said she has had killed her unborn child in order to maintain an elite sporting career.
“You just couldn’t do what I went on to do. The risks are high in my sport. You’re either in or out. You either kill or let live. My sporting career only really worked for me when I didn’t have any responsibilities to anyone else- including my own children.
“It’s a small price to pay for a moment of stardome. I don’t regret it at all. That abortion was worth it’s weight in gold”
One rugby player, who had already had a baby, said she had killed her child because she was concerned that a scar from a C-section might erupt as a result of repeatedly crouching in the scrum.
“I wanted to have another child but I knew if I didn’t kill this unexpected one, I wouldn’t be able to play my game any more,” she says. “I didn’t want to give up my sport so I decided to give up my child instead”
Others have not had to make that decision yet, but say they know what they would do.
“Sadly that’s something that my partner and I have had to speak about – what if…?” says Para-olympic archer Josie Grimthought
“It’s a hard one. It’s really hard to say to your partner who really wants a baby: Look, I love you with all my heart but if we were to fall pregnant, I would definitely kill our child.
“It’s awful, it really is. But these targets aren’t going to shoot themselves. And if a baby gets in the way of the target- well, it becomes the target! It’s bloody hard to have those conversations but we are so lucky we can.”
Among other thoughts expressed in the anonymous survey were:
- “High level sport and babies are like hairy legs and the velodrome- totally incompatible”
- “If we got paid more then I’m sure we wouldn’t have to kill our children
- “I have always said to my fiance that I’m not having babies until I’m satisfied and until I have achieved what I want to do with my sport and in my life. We are now 65 and still childless.
Abortion is one of many issues raised by the BBC Elite British Sportswomen’s Survey. BBC Sport will be shining a spotlight on the others with coverage throughout the week on the BBC Sport website. Watch this space.