We know Jelena Dokic as the former world number four tennis star with incredible talent. But we also know her as the child prodigy with the cruel and abusive father.
In recent years we’ve come to learn more about the horrendous abuse she says she suffered at the hands of her father - who was also her coach.
In her autobiography, Unbreakable, she detailed whippings from him with a leather belt after poor training sessions. She alleges devastatingly cruel taunts such as "slut" and "whore", made by her furious father to his then 11-year-old daughter.
In one excerpt from her book she recalls her father's retribution for a defeat in Montreal.
"He clenches his hand into a fist and strikes me," she wrote. "For the next round of torture, he makes me stand still, then kicks me in the shin with the sharp-toed dress shoes he is wearing. When I cry out in pain, he gets me back in position, lines up and boots me again."
But along with the reflections, Dokic also wonders why no one ever stepped in and tried to do more to help her.
"He was made into a joke, a punchline. That was completely wrong. No one stopped to think for a second, 'Is she safe going home with this person?' I was just a teenager," she told the Telegraph UK.
Jelena has said her father Damir Dokic was extremely abusive towards her. Pictured in 1999. Source: Press Association
In an interview with journalist Oliver Brown, she said she believes she could have gone further in her tennis career had she not had to deal with the physical and psychological scars she says were inflicted by her father.
"I played for 10 years while battling depression and anxiety - that's unheard of.”
"The main factor is the family. If I had had that support, it would have made a huge difference. It was heartbreaking."
When the lines get blurred
Dr Jo Lukins, the sport psychology consultant for the North Queensland Cowboys, says when it comes to elite, child athletes and their parents, lines can often be blurred.
“When we have children who are striving for success, what parents want to do is support their kids, and what they sometimes don’t realise is that their actions overstep the boundaries of what’s OK,” Dr Lukins, who has over 25 years' experience, told Insight.
“Sometimes you can run into that territory of parents who are actually setting the goals for the kids and the kids are sort of just along for the ride.”
Dr Lukins, who has written two books, The Elite and The Grandstands, says if we can learn anything from Jelena Dokic’s experience, it’s that parents need to be parents.
“What we need from parents is for them to be the soft space to land when kids go through their sporting journey.”
Dr Lukins also stresses the importance of having a multidisciplinary team to help give a more well rounded approach to the child.
“It takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to raise an Olympian, if you’ve just got one person who is part of the puzzle then it’s easier to hide stuff … it’s a reminder that people matter, relationships matter and children need to be heard.”
In her work, Dr Lukins said she deals with parents who mostly just want the best for their children.
“I know that the majority of parents are absolutely doing what they hope is best for the child it’s just that sometimes as parents we need to look into the mirror and ask; ‘what are we doing?’”
“We’ve got to, as parents, be mindful of what we’re doing and our behaviour because it’s obviously going to flow so far into our kids.”
