It may seem inconceivable to opt out of the Olympic race due to psychological problems, especially for gold medalists, but American gymnast Simon Byers pushed the taboo to the public.
Biles, who has almost dominated the women's gymnastics world since 2013, was supposed to confidently complete the "Yang Wei Jump" in the vaulting of the Women's Team Final at the Tokyo Olympics, but the planned back-down was only one week away, but fortunately took a big step forward when she landed, instinctively allowing her to avoid injury. Subsequently, the superstar, who holds 23 World Championship and Olympic titles, announced his retirement, causing an uproar in the global media and audiences.
Not without warning. When the close-up of The Camera was given to Byers' face before the game, the thick dark circles seemed to suggest that she had not rested well, and her face had lost the usual bright smile.
Biles said on social media that sometimes feeling the weight of the world weighing on her shoulders, she began to shiver uncontrollably after that morning's training session, and there was what gymnasts call "twisting", that is, losing a sense of direction in the air, so it would be dangerous to continue trying to jump out of difficult moves.
In the days that followed, she withdrew from the individual all-around, vault and uneven bars events, but returned to the balance beam event and won a bronze medal, her seventh medal at the Olympics.
Byers later admitted that she withdrew from the competition due to mental health issues, which also made 2021 a memorable year in the history of sports – facing a stage like the Olympics, even the toughest athletes can face up to and boldly talk about psychological problems and prioritize their health over performance.
Byers isn't the only athlete this year who has gotten a lot of attention for his mental health issues.
At the French Open in June, four-time tennis Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka announced on social media before the tournament that she personally did not participate in media-related activities, including press conferences, during the tournament, citing the fact that the mental health of athletes was neglected when attending such press conferences. This move led to the French Open issuing a fine to her, and the four Grand Slams also joined forces to "fight back", saying that if they did not cooperate, they would face the penalty of disqualification or even suspension.
After the first round of matches, Naomi Osaka once again posted on social media, announcing her voluntary withdrawal from the French Open, while revealing that she has suffered from depression and anxiety since 2018. After the Wimbledon competition, she also chose to withdraw. The next game became a battle between the beauty of Osaka and the ego. At the Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese people had high hopes but did not qualify for the quarterfinals, and she reluctantly told the media with tears after the game: "Participating in the Olympic Games for the first time feels heavy pressure." It was sad to lose the game, but I was happy to be able to participate in the Olympics. ”
At the U.S. Open in September, in a third-round loss to Leila Fernandez, she was so emotional that she angrily slammed her racket and slammed it into the stands. "I wasn't happy when I won recently. I felt more like a relief," Naomi Osaka said in the post-match press conference, "and then when I lost, I felt very sad. I don't think it's normal... I feel like I'm trying to figure out what I want to do right now, and to be honest, I don't know when I'm going to play the next tennis match. ”
By early November, she posted a photo of herself on the playing range, writing: "It's a bit rusty, but it feels good to come back." ”
After Naomi Osaka announced her retirement, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton tweeted: "Mental health is not a joke, it's true and serious. It takes a lot of courage to be honest. He added, "Let's all make sure Osaka knows she's not alone." ”
Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open was like a catalyst for people to start discussing various aspects of mental health issues. But until then, many of the athletes' unforgettable personal stories were carefully hidden and not known to the public.
There are some sad incidents in this. In 2009, German goalkeeper Enke, plagued by depression, committed suicide, but his teammates were even little aware of the enormous inner struggle Encke faced; in HBO's documentary "The Weight of the Gold Medal," one of the interviewees, bobsleigh athlete Steven Holcomb, committed suicide in 2017 due to depression; and skier Jeret Speedy, who also died of mental illness in 2011 Peterson) is also part of the story. The one-hour film, which highlights the postponement of this year's Tokyo Olympics, will only make the situation worse for athletes whose mental states are already fragile.
For a long time, the sports industry has regarded psychological problems as a topic of shame, because in the past stigmatized cognition, psychological problems are only available to the weak, which seems to run counter to the pursuit of higher, faster and stronger sportsmanship. They're going to storm cities, they're fearless, they're not fatalists, and everyone takes it for granted that they can overcome almost any adversity with hard work...
However, many people overlook it, and they are also surrounded by fear and anxiety. As Naomi Osaka said after announcing her withdrawal from the French Open: "Everyone who knows me knows that I am very introverted, and anyone who has seen me during the game will notice that I often wear headphones, which relieves my social anxiety." I'm not a born public speaker, and I'm always anxious before I speak to the media. ”
WNBA legend Chamique Holdsclaw suffered from depression while playing for the Washington Mystery Man and Los Angeles Sparks in the early 2000s and attempted suicide at one point. She revealed this inner battle only after retiring from the army in her 2012 autobiography, Breakthrough: Overcoming Difficulties Again and Again. She told The Washington Post: "With a mental health issue like mine, you're going to be labeled a giveaway. People will say I'm a 'mystery' or a 'problem'. ”
"Mental health is not just a subject for athletes, the way you make a living doesn't define who you are, it's a subject for everyone." Kevin Loaf wrote in an article for the Players Forum.
By 2018, NBA player Kevin Love described his panic disorder in an article for the Players Forum, "It's like my body is telling me that you're going to die." Finally, I collapsed on the floor of the training room, lying on my back, breathing hard for air. He wrote this article about his mental illness because he saw another NBA player, DeMar DeRozan, post about his depression. Kevin Love's confession brought the mental health of NBA players into the spotlight, and he won the ESPY Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
Whether it's Naomi Osaka, 23, Byers, 24, or NBA stars, these young athletes are increasingly taking control of their personal narratives, pushing the topic of mental health from the corners of the sports world to the biggest stage of modern life. In particular, it can be noted that female athletes play an important role in advocating for mental health care, even risking their careers.
On the cover of Time magazine in July, Naomi Osaka wrote her own story, telling the world: "It's O.K. Not to Be O.K. (some questions are fine)". Athletes who come forward increase people's understanding of psychosomatic connections and why it's acceptable to admit that they're bad.
According to a survey by athletes for Hope, a nonprofit organization that aims to help athletes, as many as 35 percent of professional athletes face a mental health crisis. However, major sports organizations have been slow to support athletes in accessing adequate mental health resources. Team USA established the Athlete Services in 2019 to strengthen its support services, and athletes now have access to mental health resources such as therapists, counseling groups, and helplines. The NBA is also paying more and more attention to the mental health of players, and the league has also introduced a move requiring teams to have a psychologist.
"I hope that if an athlete withdraws for similar reasons, it won't be a huge news story, it'll just be treated normally." Suzanne Potts, head of the Athletes Hope Association, said in an interview with The Los Angeles Times, "I hope more athletes will feel safe enough to walk out or speak out about their mental health issues just like their injured shoulders, like their injured ankles." ”
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