Gemma Wiseman, footballer for the British team, took her own life at the age of 33 just a few days before Christmas, according to the coroner

GEMMA Wiseman, the former Olympic player for the Great Britain and England football teams, has taken her own life, a coroner has ruled.

The 33-year-old was part of the British team that won the bronze medal at the 2016 Deaf World Cup in Italy.

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Mrs Wiseman was found in woodland near her home in Rackheath, near Norwich, on December 16 last year by concerned friends who were searching for her.

She died at the scene of the accident; the cause of death was given as “constriction of the neck structures”, according to the inquest in Norwich on Monday.

Her wife, Laura Wiseman, said in a statement read out by the coroner that they had “planned to go to Cornwall for Christmas”, adding: “I did not know what Gemma was up to.”

She said she last saw her alive earlier that day.

In a statement read out at the inquest, Chloe Callaghan said her friend was “very quiet” and “not herself” on December 14, 2023.

She said that in “all the years I knew Gemma”, who worked as a teaching assistant, her mental health had been “very variable”.

“She told me about previous dark thoughts and an attempted overdose,” Ms Callaghan said.

She said Mrs Wiseman, whom she described as a “wonderful mother and devoted wife”, attempted to take her own life on December 15, the night before her death.

Ms Wiseman's mother-in-law, Christine Wiseman, said in a statement read by the coroner: “It is my understanding that Gemma has suffered on and off from mental health issues since an interview she gave in 2017.

“She was asked about her father, who died when she was five.”

In a family statement, Ms Wiseman was described as a “soul mate to us all”.

They said she was a “loving wife and mother – she always put other people first rather than herself.”

“We have many beautiful memories that we will cherish,” the family said.

Norfolk Coroner Yvonne Blake concluded that Ms Wiseman had committed suicide.

She said: “I was told she was a former Great Britain footballer – that's an achievement, isn't it?”

She asked the family members present in court what position she held and was told that she was a defense attorney.

The coroner said Ms Wiseman had been given medication for depression and anxiety and that a therapeutic dose of an antidepressant had been detected in her blood.

She said Ms Wiseman had previously “taken overdoses, including of paracetamol”.

“Her friends say her mood had been bad for about a month before she died… I don't know why, but she was suddenly bad,” the coroner said.

“She put it down to the stress of life, with the child and work.”

She added that she had been “very depressed for at least a month or six weeks before her death.”

She said Ms Wiseman “seemed to have a lot of good friends who were keen to help her and unfortunately found Gemma dead in the woods”.

After announcing Ms Wiseman's suicide, she told family members in court: “I am very sorry – it is so terrible what has happened to all of you.”

“People feel so bad afterwards and tend to blame themselves.

“The sad truth is, if someone is determined to do it, they probably will, that's my experience.”

She added that Ms Wiseman “obviously had an impact on people's lives and it was important enough to them to say so.”

She had won other medals with England and Team GB, including a bronze medal at the 2013 Deaflympics in Bulgaria.

Gemma supported the Norfolk FA's first inclusive festival for girls and played for local clubs.

In an interview with the Norfolk FA in 2021, Gemma said her football idol was David Beckham.

She revealed: “Girls who are unsure about playing football never know until they try to follow their heart.

“It is important that girls look up to role models, Modelsso that they can prove them wrong and practice the sport they enjoy.”

In 2016, football star Gary Neville donated £20,000 to enable the men's and women's deaf football teams to participate in the 2017 Deaflympics.

The former Manchester United and England defender made the donation in response to a tweet from Claire Stancliffe, captain of the British women's national team.

Well-wishers were shocked by Gemma’s death.

One said: “Our thoughts are with you, Laura and Allie.

“Gemma always had such a wonderful smile and bubbly personality when we met her in Blofield.”

Another wrote: “We are so sad to hear of your loss.

“You, Allie and family are in our thoughts. Lots of love.”

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