2021 was a landmark year when it came to throwing the spotlight on the mental health issues faced by even sporting superstars. In May, Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka raised concerns about her mental health after withdrawing from the French Open.
Prominent sports people from the past and the present, including the likes of American tennis star Serena Williams. Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt and American swimming great Michael Phelps, rallied around Osaka, offering words and deeds of support. Apart from the outpouring of support that Osaka received, there was also admiration and praise for courageously bringing to light her own vulnerability, making the world take note of a very sensitive topic.
Not long after the Osaka episode, during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in July August. American gymnast and multiple gold medallist Simone Biles brought the issue into focus once again. Biles act of voluntarily sitting out of several events due to mental issues kept the global discussion on mental health in sports going.
Picture Credit : Google
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