Beth Dobbin, an Olympic sprinter who now has severe ME post a Covid infection and glandular fever (mono) sent a letter to the prime minister, signed by over 350 sportspeople, calling for more research into ME/CFS.
Several weeks ago, Beth's story was featured across the media, sharing her experience of severe ME and the impact this has had on her life as a sportsperson. At the time, Beth wrote to the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to highlight issues surrounding the disease and the lack of government funding into ME/CFS research. We shared a template letter for individuals to write to their MPs highlighting the issues Beth has raised: you can still find and use this template letter here.
Today, Beth Dobbins has written to the prime minister again, this time with a letter signed by over 350 sports people, asking the government to fund more research into ME/CFS and to reply to Beth's letter.
2nd November 2026
Dear Andy Burnham,
On 21 October, Olympian Beth Dobbin wrote to you sharing her heartbreaking experience of severe ME. We are writing, as Beth's friends and fellow sportspeople, to stand with her. We call on you to meet with her and to commit to funding the research that is so desperately needed for an illness that has been neglected for decades.
We were deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the impact of severe ME on Beth. As she shared in her letter to you, before Beth became unwell, she represented Team GB as a sprinter at the Tokyo Olympics. She has gone from training five hours a day to being bedbound 22 hours a day due to feeling so severely unwell, and has struggled with this for four years now. ME has taken away not only Beth's opportunity to progress in her athletics career, but more importantly, the ability to live any semblance of a normal life.
Beth is one of an estimated 1.35 million people in the UK with ME, who were often previously fit and active. This includes approximately half of those with Long Covid, who also meet the ME diagnostic criteria.
The disease has received extremely low levels of research funding compared to other conditions. Between 2019 to 2024, UK government research funders committed just £6.6m in funding for research into ME, compared to £79.1m for Parkinson's and £496.4m for dementia. Prior to this, biomedical research funding was almost non-existent. As a result of the lack of research funding, there are no approved treatments.
We are asking you to level the playing field with other illnesses. To give hope to the many affected that something is being done about this life-destroying, much-ignored illness and its spiralling impact.
We stand in support of Beth. We urge you to meet with her to discuss a much-needed way forward.
Read the full letter on Beth Dobbin's Facebook:
BBC News: Sportspeople back Dobbin's PM plea on ME funding
The BBC and The Times have covered this news – read extracts from the BBC News article below
“For many of my team-mates, I dropped off the face of the earth four years ago when I developed severe ME,” she said.
“I've been taken aback and extremely touched by how many of them – and so many others in the sports world – have jumped at the chance to help by signing this letter. It means so much to me…
Among the 360 sporting figures to have signed the letter are Everton manager David Moyes, his United States women's counterpart Emma Hayes, and former Chelsea and England centre-back Millie Bright. Athletes Laura Muir, Eilish McColgan and Adam Gemili are among 114 Olympians and Paralympians to have added their support.
Other Media Coverage:
- The Times [PAYWALLED]: Olympians demand better ME funding after sprinter Beth Dobbin speaks out | November 2, 2026