Athletes’ mental health comes to light at the Tokyo Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After U.S. gymnast Simone Biles gave up several Olympic finals to care for her mental health, other athletes also shed light on the issue during the event in Japan. The topic is on the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) agenda and has placed officials on alert.

The IOC itself recognizes that emphasis must be placed on the wellbeing of athletes, who are increasingly pressured for results. “More could be done,” admits spokesman Mark Adams, adding that this is an issue the agency has been working on for some time. Psychologists and psychiatrists are on duty in the Olympic Village to assist athletes during the Games.

Anxiety and depression are among the main problems reported by competitors taking part in the Olympics. By going public and talking openly about the subject, athletes intend to show fans that they suffer from the same issues as anyone else, despite the image of “superheroes” often built from the results they achieve in competitions.

One case that drew considerable attention was that of Sweden’s Jenny Rissveds, the youngest Olympic cross-country mountain bike champion at the Rio Games in 2016, at the age of 22. A year later, the death of two relatives triggered a depression she is still struggling with today.

In Tokyo, she finished in 14th position. And she celebrated. “I’m so happy it’s over,” she said. “I don’t have to carry that title of Olympic champion anymore. I have a name and I hope I can just be Jenny now, and not the Olympic champion anymore, because it’s a burden. I hope I can be alone now.”

A similar situation was experienced by American gymnast Sam Mikulak, who left Tokyo with no medal, but said he was feeling a sense of peace that he did not experience at the London-2012 Games or at Rio-2016, when he failed to get a spot on the podium.

“For a long time, I resented my previous Olympic experiences because I dictated my happiness based on whether or not I would leave with a medal,” Mikulak said. “The fact that I didn’t achieve that made me hate myself.”

Irish boxer Kellie Ann Harrington disclosed a curious fact that helps her manage her mental health amid so much training and competition. She works part-time as a cleaner in a psychiatric hospital in Dublin. “I am more than just a boxer. I am Kellie Anne Harrington. I am a living person,” she asserted. “You need to have something besides boxing. You need to have another life. Life is more than sports, so you need something to lean on.”

American Raven Saunders, silver in the shot put, protested as she stood on the podium crossing her arms over her head. In addition to drawing attention to the LBGT cause, she disclosed her struggle with depression after finishing 5th in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

“You have to stop stigmatizing all the negativity about mental health. In the past, that was always something people pushed aside, but it’s something that can lead to suicide.” She contemplated killing herself in 2018.

For American swimmer Allison Schmitt, silver in the 4x200m relay and bronze in the 4x100m freestyle, the Olympics could mark a turning point in the debate about athletes’ mental health. “The Olympics not only opened up a discussion on mental health, but as of now there is a shift in the right direction for mental health support,” she said.