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Footballer's Death: Manager's Impact Questioned
3 Jul
Summary
- Mother claims manager's appointment led to daughter's distress.
- Inquest reveals significant loss of players' medical data.
- Concerns raised over difficulty for women footballers to report issues.
The inquest into Maddy Cusack's death on September 20, 2023, heard her mother, Deborah Cusack, state that her daughter felt unable to speak to Sheffield United's hierarchy.
Cusack's mother believes her daughter would still be alive if Jonathan Morgan had not been appointed manager in February 2023, alleging he made her feel "as if she had to give up football."
Chesterfield coroner's court was also informed of a significant loss of medical data, described as "industrial-scale," affecting women's footballers at various clubs, with Cusack's records among the missing.
Dr. Subhashis Basu, the club doctor at the time, admitted to failing to adequately report the data breach, which occurred during a system transition in the summer of 2023.
Deborah Cusack expressed concerns that female players find it difficult to report grievances, fearing blacklisting, and criticized the PFA and FA for not adequately supporting players.
She also recounted instances where Morgan allegedly upset Maddy Cusack, including a comment about her physique and misgendering her girlfriend.
Dr. Basu's handling of Cusack's request for counselling and the missing medical records were also scrutinized during the hearing.
