Mental Health: How Can We Help Elite Sports Competitors Stay Well?

Elite Olympic athletes recently highlighted the mental health issues they faced. A psychologist explains how we could help them

- Prof Andrew Lane

Recently, mental health in sports was thrust into the public spotlight when Olympic gymnast Simone Biles and tennis star Naomi Osaka both chose not to compete, citing concerns over their mental wellbeing due to the pressures of elite competition.

Both athletes strongly expressed concerns over the ongoing effects of being in an intense competitive environment, and both argued that a deterioration in mental health is a legitimate reason for withdrawing from competition.

Although some reporters have been less than sympathetic, arguing that these highly paid athletes should accept and deal with the pressure, we should not be so easy to dismiss the notion that elite sportspeople need support for their mental health. After all, regardless of their talents, athletes are human beings just like the rest of us, and being able to play sport at an elite level does not provide immunity to poor mental health.

Some commentators have said that the two athletes simply lack mental toughness. But arguably, withdrawing from such high-profile competition after years of training and preparation was a more difficult decision to make than to go ahead and compete. Moreover, if they had cited a physical injury, such as an injured knee, their withdrawal would not even be questioned.

So why are elite sportspeople under so much pressure, and how can we learn from this experience to provide better mental health provision?