British sprinter Beth Dobbin is suffering from a condition called ME. ME is short for Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). A full description is below.
Dobbin has written to the Prime Minister of Great Britain and secured the signatures of over 500 athletes requesting funding for research into ME, which has left Dobbin mostly bedridden since the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Letter of support
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA
12th 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
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term, multisystem illness that affects the nervous, immune and energy-producing systems of the body.
500 Athlete Signatures 🤩⭐️🏅 We’ve had so much interest since our initial athlete letter to the Prime Minister that we’ve now sent a second letter, this time with 500 athletes backing my call to meet with me and fund ME properly (prev 360). Huge names including David Moyes (we know Andy’s an Everton fan 👀), Millie Bright & so many stars from a variety of sports 🙏🏼 I can’t tell you how grateful I am to every single one of you!! Please @andyburnham , take an illness that’s been neglected more than almost anything else seriously 🙏🏼 1.35m people in the country estimated to be impacted, that’s a lot of the vote share!! @UKLabour I know I owe lots of people replies and thanks, please bear with me and thank you so much again ❤️❤️❤️
— Beth Dobbin (@BethDobbin) November 12, 2026
Full description of ME
Its defining characteristics and symptoms include:
- Profound fatigue: Extreme exhaustion and loss of stamina that are not relieved by sleep or bed rest and can severely limit everyday activities.
- Post-exertional malaise (PEM): A hallmark feature of ME/CFS in which physical, mental or emotional exertion triggers a significant worsening of symptoms, often 12 to 48 hours later. These episodes, sometimes described as crashes, can last for days or weeks.
- Cognitive dysfunction: Often referred to as brain fog, this can include difficulties with memory, concentration, information processing and mental clarity.
- Sleep disturbances: Unrefreshing sleep, insomnia and other abnormalities that leave individuals feeling exhausted even after extended rest.
- Other physical symptoms: These may include orthostatic intolerance (dizziness or lightheadedness when standing or sitting upright), muscle and joint pain, chronic headaches, tender lymph nodes and flu-like symptoms.
Causes and diagnosis
There is no single established cause of ME/CFS. The illness frequently develops following an infection, including Epstein-Barr virus or COVID-19, and may also be associated with physical trauma or other significant physiological stressors.
There is currently no single definitive diagnostic test. Diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, medical history and the exclusion of other conditions that could explain the symptoms.
Treatment and prognosis
There is no known cure for ME/CFS, and no universally effective treatment. Management focuses on relieving symptoms, improving quality of life and avoiding triggers that can worsen the illness. Careful energy management, often called pacing, is particularly important for people experiencing post-exertional malaise.
