- Michael Diamond opened up about his seven years of hell
- The Olympic legend’s life fell apart in 2016
- He says he has recovered from being at his lowest point.
Michael Diamond has opened up about his difficult journey back to the Olympics after seeing his life fall apart.
Diamond, 58, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was charged with drunken driving and having a gun and bullets in his car following a family dispute before the 2016 Rio Olympics.
All three weapons charges were dropped, but Diamond felt the damage from the high-profile incident.
He was given a domestic violence warrant, restricting him from engaging in any activity with his ex-wife Cathy and her brother John.
Diamond had a long-standing feud with John and did not patch things up before he died.
Since that fateful night eight years ago, the 58-year-old has lost 15kg and significantly reduced his alcohol intake, occasionally enjoying just the occasional glass of wine.
“I live my life in moderation now,” Diamond told the Herald Sun.
‘I don’t feel like drinking alcohol these days. I’ve learned from my mistakes and I will never, ever make them again.
Michael Diamond has revealed how his life has changed
Olympic legend says he lost more than $1 million after 2016 incident
“There is no greater motivation than hitting rock bottom. I can tell you that firsthand. You have to be tough, pick yourself up and keep going to have a better day. I guess I had to go to that place to understand where I was going.”
Diamond cannot hold a gun licence for Australia, but will be in Paris this month as coach of the Qatar team.
Reflecting on the 2016 incident, Diamond said: ‘I would say the moment that changed me was when my brother called the police.
‘It was my birthday and it was a mistake on my part, but if I hadn’t been drunk I would have handled the situation differently.
“I had no control over myself or my emotions. When I compete, I always have control, but that day I was out of control.”
Diamond revealed that he never touched alcohol until he was 28, when he bought his first fishing boat. Court documents following the 2016 episode revealed that he lost out on approximately $1 million in potential income as a result of his actions, though he estimates the actual figure is higher.
He will return to the Olympics this month in Paris as coach of the Qatar national team.
‘Life was very difficult. I lost everything. My only source of income was taken away. You try to survive and that makes it difficult, but I had to evolve and I did. I’m doing much better now than before.
‘At that time I had sponsors. It was possible that I would be the flag bearer (at the Rio Olympics) and from then on I would have had speaking engagements and renewed my contracts.
‘My lifestyle changed because of my children. I have the best children in the world. For many years I was tied up because I couldn’t make a living.
‘My children changed my mentality. I had to take care of them. While I was competing, I was fine. But for a while it was very difficult to make a living.
“I wasn’t doing my part as a father. They were suffering and I couldn’t take it anymore. It was seven years of hardship where I couldn’t make enough money. It was a really tough journey but I survived and the saying goes that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and I’m definitely a lot stronger.”