When the US gymnast Simone Biles decided to withdraw from the team and all-around events at the Tokyo Olympics, it prompted a debate about mental health in elite sport.
Biles spoke about the importance of preserving her mental health and the need to “protect our minds and our bodies,” adding: “We are people, at the end of the day.”
Dr. Tshepang Tshube, a lecturer at Botswana University, says more needs to be done to protect elite athletes who are susceptible to mental health issues due to ‘public scrutiny, social media and pressure to win at all cost’.
Produced and edited by Rajni Boddington
