Collingwood star Harry O’Brien says he’s battling suicidal and depressing thoughts.
O’Brien made the stunning announcement as he returned to training on Tuesday following a falling out with coach Nathan Buckley.
He also told reporters he’d been sexually abused and had knowledge of a murder but did not go to police because he had been in fear of his life.
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire he had been aware of O’Brien’s issues, but did not know he would reveal publicly his condition
O’Brien has been vocal on a range of social issues, and had a run-in with McGuire over his now-infamous King Kong radio gaffe.
O’Brien stunned reporters, who had been there following the incident with Buckley, with his statement.
“I’m going through issues that I sort of put in the past for a long time, including a long and very complicated history of sexual abuse,” O’Brien said.
“Suicide, depression, seeing someone get murdered knowing who’d murdered that person and not being able to say anything because that person would probably murder you.”