Fans around the world have been shocked and dismayed to hear that a member of the Bulgarian rhythmic gymnastics group, Tsvetelina Stoyanova, has attempted to commit suicide by jumping from the 6th floor balcony of her apartment in the Sofia neighborhood "Nadezhda" (the name means "Hope"). She is in a critical state at the top Bulgarian trauma hospital, where she was admitted with heavy bleeding. The bleeding is now under control and her spleen, which was ruptured in the fall, has been removed.
The Bulgarian papers have, sadly, published highly contradictory and not sufficiently respectful reports claiming that Tsveti's coaches and the gymnastics Federation pushed her to an emotional breakdown by making the decision not to have her participate in next week's European championship in Israel. One of the gymnast's neighbors allegedly stated that she came home very upset the night before and shared that she would not participate in the big event. Some reports have also claimed that Tsveti had panic attacks before competitions which led to the decision to remove her from the team.
Tsveti started gymnastics at age 7, became national champion at age 14, and was only a teenager when she lost her mother, the person who brought her to the gym for the first time. In an interview about her career, she shares that her mother got her first leotard. Her father and brother are also athletes: their sport is boxing. Here is Tsveti as a junior gymnast performing with hoop as a real breathing angel:
Some reports claim that the 21-year old gymnast lives with her grandmother, but a TV show in the past featured an interview with a boyfriend, a soccer player, who was living with her at the time. Needless to say, some media outlets have claimed that personal and romantic woes were the reason for this tragedy.
Bulgarian media and media around the world need daily reminders that mental health is a delicate and complex condition and that the last thing we need is to try to point fingers at people who are suffering with Tsveti as she is going through this terrible time. We need to remember that mental problems are treatable and that individuals who suffer need our full respect and support. As do their loved ones, co-workers, teammates and fans.
Tsveti was a world champion with the Bulgarian group in 2014. She is one of the most loved Bulgarian gymnasts and I am sure that all of the coaches she worked with, her teammates and the entire Bulgarian Federation wish her nothing but health and happiness. I am certain that thousands of fans keep both her and her team in their prayers in this difficult time.
