Simone Biles Wasn't the Only Athlete to Open Up About Mental Health at the Tokyo Olympics

A step in the right direction, USA gymnast Simone Biles opened the conversation on professional athletes suffering from mental health concerns at the Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020. Reframing the perceptions of sportspersons and mental health, the athlete withdrew from the competition to focus on her emotional well-being. The 24-year-old said, "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times. I have to do what’s right for me and focus on my mental health and not jeopardise my health and my wellbeing."

While the gymnast was lauded for her courage and was met with an outpour of sympathy from her fellow sportspersons as well as the audience, she unknowingly triggered a domino effect in the world of competitive sports. Following Biles, several professional athletes came forward to share their experiences of dealing with the pressure of performing, and at times, failing to do so.

 

Naomi Osaka, Tennis Player, Japan

 

Naomi Osaki wrote in TIME Magazine, "I do hope that people can relate and understand it’s OK to not be OK, and it’s OK to talk about it. There are people who can help, and there is usually light at the end of any tunnel."

 

Michael Phelps, Swimmer, USA

 

Speaking about his personal challenges with mental health in 2019, he said, "I struggled with anxiety and depression and questioned whether or not I wanted to be alive anymore. It was when I hit this low that I decided to reach out and ask for the help of a licensed therapist. This decision ultimately helped save my life. You don’t have to wait for things." During a broadcast of the Tokyo Games, he added, "Mental health over the last 18 months is something people are talking about. We’re human beings. Nobody is perfect. So yes, it is OK not to be OK."

 

Noah Lyles, Track and Field, USA

 

"Mental health is just a part of life. Just like the reason you go to a doctor is to make sure that your body is okay, the reason you go to a therapist or talk to somebody is to make sure your mind is okay," said the athlete in an interview with USA Today. 

 

Katie Ledecky, Swimmer, USA

 

During a press conference at the Tokyo Olympics, the swimmer said, "Mental health is so important. Physical health is so important and it's no different being Olympians."

 

Cat Osterman, Softball, USA

 

"I think the Olympics are a special situation [...] There is a common conception as an athlete that if you come home with less than silver it's a disappointment and you think you're going to go home and all of a sudden be 'less than' in people's eyes and I've experienced that. I've experienced the mental health downside that went with it. Not something I've spoken about publicly, but as an athlete, when you have all that weight on your shoulders and if you don't have the right people in your corner or you're not tapping into them day-to-day, it's not the easiest thing to carry by yourself," she said in an Olympic press conference. 

 

Simone Biles, Gymnastics, USA

 

"It's been really stressful this Olympic games... it's been a long week, a long Olympic process, a long year. I think we're a little too stressed out - we should be out here having fun and that's just not the case."

 

April Ross, Beach Volleyball, USA

 

Ross told USA Today, "I think mental health is huge. I believe that mental health translates into physical health and performance."

 

Sakura Kokumai, Karate, USA

 

"I learned over this year that I, again, tend to train on my own and figure things out on my own, but I realized the importance of reaching out to people and just talking it through or realizing it's okay to just ask for help sometimes," said the athlete in an interview with USA Today. 

 

Monica Abbott, Softball, USA

 

"People forget about the day-to-day grind and demands. [...] All that hype takes a toll on a person. As athletes, we compete at such a high level. We vibrate at such a high energy level, that putting that in on a daily basis, on show for a stage, always being on, it can be difficult," said Abbott during a press conference at the Tokyo Olympics. 

 

Valerie Arioto, Softball, USA

 

"This awareness to the topic of mental health is really going to help a lot of athletes and help just people, in general, be aware of their mental health during this time," said the athlete during a press conference at the Tokyo Olympics.