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Tragic details emerge around young sports star's death

Yahoo Sport Australia

The devastated father of Ellie Soutter – the British snowboarder who died on her 18th birthday – has hit out at the pressure elite athletes face as new details emerge around her death.

The world of sport was rocked by news of the teenager’s passing last week.

The Surrey native won Great Britain’s only medal during the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in 2017, when she took bronze in the women’s snowboard cross.

She also carried the British flag during the closing ceremony and was tipped to complete a childhood dream with a spot on Great Britain’s team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Soutter’s cause of death has not been disclosed.

Ellie Soutter was a rising star in the world of snowboarding. Pic: Twitter
Ellie Soutter was a rising star in the world of snowboarding. Pic: Twitter

Speaking publicly for the first time since her death, Soutter’s father Tony has revealed mental health issues and the pressures to perform may have contributed to his daughter’s death.

“She wanted to be the best,” he said.

“She didn’t want to let anybody down.

“Unfortunately it all came about from missing a flight which then meant she didn’t go training with the GB squad.

“She felt she’d let them down, felt she’d let me down and just tragically it just takes one silly little thing like that to tip someone over the edge, because there’s a lot of pressure on children.”

“Mental health awareness needs to be really looked at and made more public.”

Tony led the tributes to his daughter with a heartbreaking Facebook post after her death:

“This cruel world took my Soul mate and “Bessie” from me yesterday on her 18th birthday,” he wrote.

“I was so proud of the beautiful young woman she had turned into. Ellie I will miss you more than you could have ever imagined. Rest in peace you little champion!”

Soutter had recently been named to Great Britain’s inaugural senior team for the snowboard cross Europa Cup circuit.

British Olympic Association chair Hugh Robertson and BOA Athlete Commission chair Ben Hawes said “Ellie was an incredibly popular and well-liked member of the team”.

With agencies

*Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.