In the middle of the Tokyo Olympics, sportswomen speak out about their mental health. They dare to decide to stop competing, despite the pressure weighing on them. What if they were an example to follow?
July 28, 2021, thunderclap in the Olympic village: Simone Biles, virtuoso gymnast of the USA team, announces that she is withdrawing from the competition, after failing to perform one of her figures. In a press conference, she explains wanting to protect her mental health. In May 2021, it was tennis player Naomi Osaka which was opening up in the media about it. These two women made a lot of noise, as great champions recognizing their vulnerabilities. That is why they are examples to follow.
It’s okay to admit that we can’t do it
Recognizing that we no longer succeed requires enormous courage. Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles got it. This courage also makes it possible to protect oneself from possible future damage that is much greater. “I felt the need to withdraw to work on my mental health”, explains Simone Biles at a press conference. She admitted not having fun, being extremely stressed and not wanting to risk hurting herself “or do something stupid while participating in this competition”. Knowing how to stop at the right time means keeping the possibility of being able to start again one day.
You have to know how to take time to overcome a trauma
Biles said in 2018 that she was abused by Larry Nassar, ex-sports doctor guilty of sexual abuse of a hundred young gymnast girls. This had dragged Simone Biles into an episode of depression. Today, while she has to rebuild herself, her greatest moments of joy are out of competition. She had confided in an Instagram post to feel all the weight of the world on her shoulders. The young athlete is under constant pressure. The need to breathe will allow you to move forward serenely.
We can refuse the competition when it crushes those who do it
Simone Biles like Naomi Osaka have chosen to step aside so as not to sink. The tennis player announced in May 2021 her boycott of the media to preserve herself: “This is a situation I hadn’t imagined or looked for when I tweeted the other day. I think the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I pull out (of the tournament). ) so that everyone can refocus on tennis “. Leaving the Olympics, Naomi Osaka said the pressure around this competition was too much for her. The two sportswomen open the word on a culture of competition which can be ultra-toxic when it silences and crushes those who take part in it. To refuse it is not to lose, it is to choose to gain in well-being, the most important of the medals.