When sports stars open up about their mental health, it really speaks to us

Whether or not you’re an avid sports fan, sports play a fundamental role in our society. They have the power to unite us and divide us and are really important in so many people’s lives – for participants and fans alike.

Sports are also a really powerful manifestation of community spirit: when England lost the Euro 2020 final, every house on the street went dark at the same time; when Formula 1 brings Lewis Hamilton home to Silverstone, the energy in the crowd is electrifying; and when Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open, she had us all on the edge of our seats supporting her, no matter our time zone. Sport is such common ground for so many people that it has become a universal language. So, when it speaks to us, we listen.

As a result of campaigns, such as McLaren’s partnership with Mind, and footballers such as Andy Cole speaking out about his mental health, stigma around mental health is starting to be challenged in sports circles. Sports stars have such a strong influence in so many people’s lives and provide such positive role models for so many, that when they go public about their own mental health struggles, this has a big impact, particularly on their fans.

The uncontainable rise of social media and the presence and following that sports people have on apps, such as Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok, has had many positive effects – with many athletes using these platforms to share their mental health struggles and highlighting ways their followers can get help.

Formula 1 drivers, Sir Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, are perfect examples of how social platforms can be used in this way, with both drivers regularly interacting with their millions of followers and promoting mental wellness. Sir Lewis has done this through his initiative called Mission 44, a foundation which was launched to “support, champion and empower” young people across the UK who come from underrepresented groups. Norris has raised awareness about mental health through his streaming on the platform Twitch, as well as through interviews and work alongside McLaren, in its partnership with Mind.

Both figures have become spearheads for mental health discussions within Formula 1 and its fanbase. But the question is, how does this all of this translate into real experience? How do sports stars’ experiences resonate with us? And how do their words and actions help us to tackle our own problems, within our own communities?

I had the opportunity to sit down with Henry, age 17, a local teenager and avid sports fan, who plays for his college basketball team. He believes that while there are definitely signs of progress within the sporting community, there is still a long way to go. Henry struggled during lockdown, finding the absence of sporting events “quite weird”, as watching and playing sports had helped him to get out of the house. He believes that everyone should be active, as it helps to reduce anxiety and stress, whilst also contributing to general wellness – something that can benefit us all both mentally and physically.

But while Henry feels that sports are fundamental to alleviating mental health issues, he doesn't view the stigma around mental health as a thing of the past; it still very much exists in his view. As a member of a local sports team, Henry doesn’t feel that there is much room to discuss mental health in many sporting environments. “People just get on with it and they don't think about that sort of stuff”, he says, acknowledging that whilst the social element of being part of a team creates a space to be more open, most people don’t necessarily want to share their feelings and shouldn’t be forced to. There should be a space for people to talk and share, but only if they choose to.

During our conversation, Henry and I discussed “performative activism” within sports and how that can create the opposite effect that teams and athletes might be trying to achieve. With pressure from their sponsors, and the eyes of their fanbases upon them, it is easy for sports people to preach mental health awareness without actually creating any meaningful change, or supporting avenues that offer help.

There seems to be an ambiguity between actually setting out to bring change and spread awareness – and the need to fulfil a working obligation and pay lip-service to mental well-being. Indeed some athletes are raising awareness about mental health, but in an uninspiring way that doesn’t lead to change. “It’s their job to be sports people; they don't have to be activists,” maintains Henry. He says that while there are a lot of eyes on sports people to be voices of change, using their positions as athletes as a platform, there are many people out there who simply want to watch a race, or a game of football, without the activism being thrust upon them. Watching and playing sport is a form of escapism for a lot of people and for that reason, it should arguably be left alone. “It brings me joy,” says Henry, earnestly, and who am I to argue with that?

While I understand Henry’s viewpoint, I also feel that if sports people, who are such inspiring role models for so many, can help transform mental health, then why shouldn't they? I believe that there is an opportunity within the sporting world to push harder and break down those pesky, uncomfortable boundaries that prevent people from speaking out and getting help.

Speaking with Henry was eye-opening for me, because he is a perfect example of the level of awareness that young people have of the importance of talking and taking care of yourself, yet there is still a barrier; people are not yet ready to have the difficult conversations, despite being painfully aware that they can.

Our conversation showed me that there is still a lot more that needs to be done on a local level, particularly, because young people are not getting enough support from within their teams and their schools, and older people do not have many, if any, local sporting environments that offer any support or help.

These spaces are essential in our communities. Sports are not only a hobby or source of entertainment; for so many people they are also a lifeline, a sense of normality and unity that people have missed out on, particularly due to the pandemic. For me, as a sports fan, I am grateful to see so many athletes breaking their silence and tackling the stigma around mental health head on. This has eased that feeling of loneliness that has come hand in hand with coping with my own mental health, and after the last two years, no one deserves to feel alone.

Now more than ever, we need visibility, transparency and inspiration from the people we look up to, because their encouragement can be the difference between someone asking for help and burying their head in the sand. And, as Henry said, “burying your head in the sand and not thinking about it doesn't make it go away”.