Former Wisconsin runner Suzy Favor Hamilton made such an impact while in school in the Big Ten that the female athlete of the year award in the conference is named for her. Hamilton admitted earlier this week that she has spent time over the past year working as a call girl for $600 per hour, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Hamilton admitted her employment on Twitter, saying that it was caused by depression. She worked in Las Vegas for an escort service. Hamilton is a three-time Olympian, a nine-time NCAA champion and a three-time Big Ten female athlete of the year. Hamilton led a double life. In one life she was a wife, mother, sponsor representative, a motivational speaker and a realtor in Madison, Wisconsin.
In her second life, Hamilton was a call girl in Chicago, Las Vegas, Houston and Los Angeles.
“I do not expect people to understand, but the reasons for doing this made sense to me at the time and were very much related to depression,†Hamilton tweeted Thursday.
“I cannot emphasize enough how sorry I am to anyone I have hurt as a result of my actions and greatly appreciate the support from family and those closest to me. I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend.â€
Hamilton worked for an escort service since last December and was known as ‘Kelly.’ According to the Smoking Gun, Hamilton said that its possible a client revealed her identity, which was kept secret half-heartedly. The Smoking Gun also reported that another of Hamilton’s clients tried to pay a reporter to prevent the story from going public.
“I realize I have made highly irrational choices and I take full responsibility for them,†Hamilton tweeted. “I am not a victim here and knew what I was doing.
“I was drawn to escorting in large part because it provided many coping mechanisms for me when I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage and my life. It provided an escape from a life that I was struggling in. It was a double life.â€
Hamilton’s admission on Thursday has caused her to lose a commercial deal. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series announced that it had ended its contract with Hamilton. The contract started in 2011 and required Hamilton to appear at four or five events each year as a member of its ‘running legends’ program.
The Competitor Group, which owns the series, said the following in a statement: “We are shocked, embarrassed and deeply saddened by the recent reports that Suzy Favor Hamilton lived a double life as an escort. Admittedly this was a part of a secret life that she did not share with those, like us, that she worked with in her capacity as a former world-class athlete.â€