‘I was addicted to porn while training for the Olympics’

← Back to the feed

‘I was addicted to porn while training for the Olympics’

feeds.bbci.co.uk · 2 hours ago

Former Team GB diver Freddie Woodward has revealed he battled a porn addiction for around a decade, including while competing at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and is now calling for better education on the issue. The 30-year-old from Sheffield said the habit began at age 12 and left him feeling "dirty" and ashamed, and he hopes speaking publicly will encourage others struggling with similar problems to seek help.

Woodward, who won a Commonwealth Games bronze and a Junior European silver alongside his Olympic appearance, said his porn use escalated alongside his athletic success, at times visiting adult websites up to ten times a day. He also shared explicit images of himself online, which were later leaked, ending a relationship and deepening his sense of shame. He finally overcame the addiction last year after reframing his mindset, and his account comes as the government requires tech firms such as Apple and Google to introduce safeguards preventing children from viewing or sharing sexually explicit content on their devices.

  • Ex-Olympic diver Freddie Woodward reveals decade-long porn addiction, started aged 12
  • Addiction worsened during his 2016 Rio Olympics career, leaked images ended a relationship
  • He overcame it last year and now urges better, shame-free education on the issue

Sheffield

Read the full article at the source →