8 Other athletes expressed understanding for Osaka but backed the media, revealing a lack of acceptance and emphasis for mental health in sports. A joint statement issued by the Grand Slam tournaments called Osaka out for “Code of Conduct infringement,” raising the moral question of whether an athlete is obligated to perform his/her duties when mental wellness is at stake. The wide spectrum of attitudes in response to Osaka’s message brings to light the complexity of the role mental health should play for professional athletes. Open in 2018 and specifically cited media scrutiny for making her feel “vulnerable and anxious.” Osaka’s assertive actions to prioritize her mental health, however, were labeled narcissistic, with some online platforms even calling her withdrawal due to mental health reasons “an excuse.” The wave of outrage following Osaka’s boycott reveals exactly the problem with the media-that its bias, subjectiveness, and ambiguity compounded by its massive influence magnifies every action and word of the victim, damaging one’s self-esteem and mindset. 7 In a statement withdrawing from the French Open, Osaka confessed to experiencing “long bouts of depression” since the U.S. After declining to face the media which gave her “huge anxiety,” Osaka was fined by the tournament’s organizers who refused to relax the traditional press duties. Her move initiated a wave of media criticism and peer support, broaching the long-ignored conversation about the importance of athletes’ mental health. In May 2021, tennis superstar Naomi Osaka refused to participate in the French Open press conferences and withdrew from the tournament due to mental health concerns. This year, instances of elite athletes withdrawing from competitions due to mental health reasons have ignited the debate surrounding the definition and importance of mental well-being for athletes. 5 Mental health, consisting of our “emotional, psychological, and social well-being,” is an important factor of our overall health, yet its presence is almost nonexistent in the public realm of sports. Until very recently, the state of an athlete’s physical wellbeing was almost synonymous with performance excellence and overall wellbeing. Rehab is considered a commonality and an integral aspect of playing and watching sports. 3 4 Physical injuries are recognized, analyzed, and normalized. Open win on a broken leg to detailing Kobe Bryant’s Achilles tear in 2013. The media narrative around sports injuries has been heroic and sympathetic-from reporting Tiger Woods’ historic 2008 U.S. Traditionally, media reports of athletes have focused entirely on physical wellness and ability, fostering an absolute correlation between physical health and athletic performance. This spotlight is paving the way for a broader conversation on the importance of mental health for athletes and for all people in general, But, widespread speculation and attention on the mental health reasons behind Biles’s mistake is relatively new in the sports world. Titles such as “EPIC athletic fails” are constantly trending on YouTube, and nearly everyone can point to one famous (or is it infamous?) mistake in sports. This isn’t the first time digital media-including online news sources, social media, and other internet-based platforms-has bashed professional athletes for a less-than-satisfactory performance. 2 Normal, especially in high-pressure and high-technique situations, right? Except it wasn’t simple or normal, not for the most decorated gymnast of the generation, and certainly not for the media, which opened fire on her Olympic ‘fail.’ My dad, the most athletic but the least engaged sports fan out of the three of us, missed the six pivotal seconds in gymnastics history.Įxactly-what happened? Simply put, Biles had made a mistake on the vault, executing 1½ twists instead of the planned 2½ twists and stumbling forward on the landing. “Was that serious?” came from my mom who had tossed aside her reading. 1 “Wow…” My reaction echoed that of the commenter’s. The words “Simone Biles,” “showstopper,” and “must-see TV” drew my eyes to the bigger screen, where I calmly-then disbelievingly-watched Biles’s “very uncharacteristic” vault performance. It was Olympics season-the one thing that gathered my family in the living room where we could all tune in to the fun and games. My dad was working in the rocking chair, and my mom skimmed a fashion magazine from the sofa. On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, I sat at my computer with the TV buzzing in the background.
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