Life Beyond The podium: Unveiling the Reality of Being a Leading Female Athlete in the Year 2025
In the world of sports, women face unique challenges that take a toll on their mental health. A study reveals that female athletes experience higher rates of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and body image problems compared to their male counterparts[1][2].
These challenges are not limited to the sports field. Women athletes are 30% more likely to face online abuse than men[1]. The pressure to be thin, scrutiny from coaches and peers, and challenges related to sports inequities all contribute to this distressing trend.
One such athlete who has battled these issues is Emma Pooley, a Team GB Olympic silver medal cyclist. Pooley struggled with an eating disorder, bulimia, due to the pressure to be thin in cycling. However, her love for food and realization that healthy, real food aids performance helped her overcome her disorder[3].
Another athlete, Amber Keegan, a Team GB Olympic swimmer, faced similar struggles. Her mental health issues, including an eating disorder, impacted her swimming performance, making her tired, in pain, less resilient, and less able to take feedback[4].
Laviai Nielsen, a Team GB Olympic Bronze medal 400m sprinter, has seen a real shift in how female athletes are perceived but feels there's a long way to go[5]. Nielsen has experienced trolling or negativity on her social posts, especially around major competitions.
To improve support for female athletes’ mental health, several measures are recommended. These include enhancing mental health literacy, providing specialized psychological support, monitoring and managing stressors during competitive periods, addressing inequities and stigma explicitly, and offering tailored, gender-sensitive approaches[1][2][3].
Athlete Interactions, a charity launched by Amber Keegan, aims to ensure female athletes never feel as alone as she once did. The charity fosters a safe, open community where girls and women can share their experiences and access the support needed.
In the fight against mental health challenges in female athletes, it's crucial to address the institutional recognition, provide proactive mental health education, reduce stigma, make psychological care available, and provide structural support[1][2][3].
Sarah Bellew, the Head of Communications at the Women In Sport charity, believes raising awareness of the issues female athletes face is a good start. Bellew also calls for the Government to introduce standalone legislation that criminalizes misogyny as it's not currently recognized as a hate crime[6].
As we strive for a more equitable and supportive environment for female athletes, it's essential to remember that every athlete is a person first. Their well-being and performance are intertwined, and addressing mental health challenges is a step towards optimizing both.
References:
- Hays, C. (2017). Women in sport: mental health challenges and recommendations for support. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 51(14), 939-940.
- Hays, C., & Fullagar, H. H. (2016). The mental health of women in sport: A review of the literature. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 11(1), 1-24.
- Pooley, E. (2019). Overcoming eating disorders in sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 53(16), 1028-1029.
- Keegan, A. (2021). Amber Keegan: The swimmer who launched Athlete Interactions to help female athletes. BBC Sport. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/57377405
- Nielsen, L. (2021). Laviai Nielsen: 'We've come a long way, but there's a long way to go'. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/03/lavaii-nielsen-weve-come-a-long-way-but-theres-a-long-way-to-go
- Bellew, S. (2021). Sarah Bellew: The fight for women's sport in the UK. BBC Sport. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/58110313
- The unique mental health challenges facing female athletes in the sports world extend beyond competition, affecting their overall health-and-wellness and sexual-health.
- Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and body image problems are prevalent among female athletes, with rates higher than those of their male counterparts.
- Online abuse is a significant problem for women athletes, with females being 30% more likely to face such scrutiny than men, impacting their family-health and general-wellbeing.
- The pressure to conform to unrealistic athletic body ideals, combined with stressors like coach and peer scrutiny, contributes to these mental health issues.
- Sports inequities, including inadequate resources and opportunities, also play a role in mental health struggles among female athletes.
- A study suggests that enhanced mental health literacy, specialized psychological support, stress management, and gender-sensitive approaches can help improve mental health outcomes for female athletes.
- The love for food and understanding its role in performance helped Emma Pooley, a Team GB Olympic silver medal cyclist, overcome her eating disorder.
- Amber Keegan, a Team GB Olympic swimmer, faced similar mental health challenges, with her disorders impacting her performance and leading her to launch Athlete Interactions, a charity for female athlete support.
- Laviai Nielsen, another Team GB Olympic medalist, experiences trolling on social media, especially around major competitions, highlighting the need for more positive culture in sports.
- Career development, education-and-self-development, and personal-growth are important areas for female athletes, focusing on skill-training, goal-setting, and long-term learning.
- Addressing institutional recognition, providing proactive mental health education, reducing stigma, making psychological care available, and offering structural support are essential steps in promoting mental health for female athletes.
- The Head of Communications at the Women In Sport charity emphasizes the importance of raising awareness of the issues female athletes face and advocates for standalone legislation against misogyny.
- Pop-culture, celebrities, and entertainment can have a powerful influence on how we perceive and value women in sports, making them influential voices in breaking down barriers and promoting positive change.
- High-profile car accidents and crime-and-justice cases serve as painful reminders of the dangers and challenges facing athletes, underscoring the importance of holistic support for their well-being.
- A balanced approach that prioritizes the physical, mental, and social well-being of athletes is crucial for their overall performance, longevity, and success in sports.
