As a professional athlete, you are constantly in the spotlight because of your athletic achievements. Whether you are participating in the Olympics or have won the NBA championship, your platform as an athlete allows you to influence people and inspire change. In 2021, Simone Biles withdrew from the Olympics, and Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open because of mental health concerns. This caused a fiery debate about mental health.
In the case of Simone Biles, people accused her of letting down her teammates and country. They accused her of being weak and unable to handle the pressure of competing in the Olympics. In the case of Naomi Osaka, prior to her withdrawal from the French Open, she refused to do press conferences because of her mental health but would be willing to accept the fines for not participating in them. People argued that athletes such as Naomi Osaka should be allowed to prioritize their mental health over interviews, while others argued that interviews were part of an athlete’s job.
The important thing to remember is that athletes are humans too. I am guilty of viewing athletes from the perspective of their accomplishments, making me think that they are “superhuman.” However, athletes are just like the rest of us. There is a lot of pressure on them to be perfect, but this is simply unattainable. As a society, we need to normalize that athletes are people and that it is okay not to be mentally okay.
Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka are not the only athletes to suffer from mental health issues. Research shows that up to 35% of elite athletes suffer from mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and burnout. These statistics are startling, and as a society, we must address the mental health issue immediately and eliminate the stigma surrounding it.
- United States