The Washington Post (7/28, Hassan) reports, “Rallying calls of praise for star gymnast Simone Biles poured in from around the world as USA Gymnastics confirmed” on July 28 “that the 24-year-old would be withdrawing from the following day’s gymnastics all-around final in Tokyo to prioritize her mental health.”
Reuters (7/28, Tetrault-Farber, Lies) reports that “Biles said she felt she had been carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders,” a burden that “seems to have been exacerbated by a year a grief, loss and restrictions tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.” According to Reuters, “even prior to arriving in Tokyo, athletes were facing new and unfamiliar pressures,” being forced “to find ways to train during lockdowns and qualify for the world’s biggest sporting event without compromising their health or that of their families and communities.”
The AP (7/28, Fryer) reports that Biles is not the only Olympic athlete who has struggled with mental health. For example, “Michael Phelps, winner of a record 23 gold medals and now retired, has long been open about his own mental health struggles.” The swimmer “has said he contemplated suicide after the 2012 Olympics while wracked with depression.” Phelps said, “We’re human beings. Nobody is perfect. So yes, it is OK not to be OK.”
Related Links:
— “Pandemic takes toll on athlete mental health at Tokyo Games “Gabrielle Tétrault-farberElaine Lies, Reuters, July 28, 2021