Simone Biles, one of the greatest gymnasts of all time has opted not to compete on the floor, in the Tokyo Olympics to focus on mental health. Simone was dealing with a mental block that in gymnastics terms is referred to as ‘the twisties.’ In simple words, Biles is trying to do a skill but not having your mind & body in sync. Her decision is not the first of its kind – Earlier this year, Naomi Osaka withdrew from Wimbledon to prioritize her mental health. In this article, we take a look at the sportspersons who took mental health breaks recently.
“We also have to focus on ourselves because, at the end of the day, we’re human, too. We have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do,” said Biles, who received lots of applauds for her decision.
List of players who took mental health breaks recently
It isn’t a normal job, there is huge amount of pressure: Adam Peaty
British swimmer Adam Peaty announced that he will take a month’s break from the pool in order to recharge and protect his mental health ahead of the Paris Olympics in 2024.
“It’s been hard for everyone, for every sport out there. It’s been very very tiring. I think what’s next is celebrating and having what Mel [Marshall, his coach] and I call a forced rest, where we’re not allowed to touch the water for a month now.” said Peaty (To Telegraph)
“It is going to be a war of attrition over the next three years, we’ve got three major championships next season, and you’ll see people who are falling off, who go all the way through ISL and World Cups, by the time they get to Paris. I’m taking a break because I’ve been going extremely hard for as long as I can remember. I’ve averaged 2 weeks off a year for the last 7 years.” He added
Ben Stokes took an indefinte break to priotize mental wellbeing
Three days before, England men’s all-rounder cricketer Ben Stokes has taken an indefinite break from all forms of cricket with immediate effect to focus on mental health.
Ashley Giles, managing director of England Men’s Cricket, supported his decision and said, “Ben has shown tremendous courage to open up about his feelings and well-being. Our primary focus has always been and will continue to be the mental health and welfare of all of our people. The demands on our athletes to prepare and play elite sport are relentless in a typical environment, but the ongoing pandemic has acutely compounded this.”
“Spending significant amounts of time away from family, with minimal freedoms, is extremely challenging. The cumulative effect of operating almost continuously in these environments over the last 16 months has had a major impact on everyone’s well-being,” said Giles
I was worried about living in Olympics bubble: Liz Cambage
Before the start of the Olympics, Australian Basketball star Liz Cambage withdrawn from the Olympic Games citing mental health concerns.
“Anyone that knows me knows one of my biggest dreams is winning an Olympic gold medal with the Opals. Relying on daily medication to control my anxiety is not the place I want to be right now. Especially walking into competition on the world’s biggest sporting stage.” Liz said in a statement issued by the Australian Olympic Committee.
“I know myself, and I know I can’t be the Liz everyone deserves to see compete for the Opals. Not right now at least. I need to take care of myself mentally and physically. It breaks my heart to announce I’m withdrawing from the Olympics, but I think it’s best for the Opals and myself. I wish them nothing but the best of luck in Tokyo and I hope they go forth and win a gold medal.” She added.