Social media abuse made Ciaran Gethings 'ashamed' to show his face

Jockey Ciaran Gethings has said the abuse he received on social media in the wake of a ride in 2017 affected his wellbeing to the point that he was "nearly ashamed" to show his face at the racecourse.

Gethings was speaking to the Racing Post for a special investigation in Sunday's newspaper into the extent and impact of social media abuse on jockeys, involving interviews with Saffie Osborne, Callum Shepherd and Jonjo O'Neill Jr as well as the thoughts of the BHA, the Professional Jockeys Association and campaign group Hope Not Hate on what can be done.

Gethings said he was seriously affected by the torrent of abuse he received after being unseated from 25-1 shot Deckers Delight in a staying handicap hurdle at Hereford, which was so extreme his partner Kate Tracey wrote an article in the Racing Post explaining the mental pressures that jockeys face when their ability and integrity are challenged by online trolls.

"It wasn't straight away," he said. "I think someone put it on a Facebook page and that's when it blew up. I knew what had happened – I literally fell off the side of the horse and was embarrassed it happened but it was a laughable matter completely blown out of proportion.

"The time I knew it had gone way out of proportion was when a friend of mine in Australia sent me a video of it on the news over there. I probably took it to heart but when you're a 5lb claimer stuff like that matters. Going to the races I was nearly ashamed to show my face because literally everyone in racing had seen it. It was embarrassing more than anything.

"It was a mixture of messages but mainly saying I had done it on purpose, which was definitely not the case. It knocked my confidence more than anything."

Gethings added: "When you're younger you go looking for the good comments and find the bad. We shouldn't have to turn a blind eye to it but we do now because it happens on a daily basis and it's a worry for the younger guys.

"I've had messages about breaking my legs and neck but it doesn't affect me at all now. It was a lot different when I was 18 and 19."

Read the Racing Post's investigation into social media abuse in the Big Read, available online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday or in Sunday's Racing Post newspaper. Join Members' Club