Simone Biles’ Impact On Mental Health Outlook

US Olympic gymnast Simone Biles has changed the narrative around mental health. In stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics final after achieving her lowest Olympic vault score, she’s sparked conversation around the importance of putting ones health first and prioritising caring for ourselves. Losing her bearings mid-air and experiencing ‘twisties’, a mental block resulting in the loss of spatial awareness, she pulled out in fear of her mental and physical state. Despite the discomfort or difficulty it may cause along the way, we have to continue to consider our mental wellbeing and the benefits of doing so.

The young athlete was and is a huge name across the world, and therefore faced with a huge amount of pressure and expectation from those watching, she was expected to win gold by many as she has so gracefully many times before. She was set to succeed similarly to her wins at Rio 2016, with expectations from the nation on her shoulders. It’s this unnecessary burden and strain that can often come in the world of sport, competition or even the world of fame can have an influence on an individual’s mental health and attach any sense of choice to having to consider others and perhaps having a fear around disappointment, weakness or letting others down as well as the self.

As a result of that, the move sparked great shock and conversation around the world as to see such a bold move is rare in sport, often athletes are expected or demanded to continue despite struggle, to push through and allow difficulty or being uncomfortable to be part of the process. But when things become detrimental or feel as if they are harming oneself rather than helping, that’s when things need to be reassessed and that’s exactly what Biles did. She has shown great bravery in stepping away from what she loves, from making a choice for herself and prioritising her wellbeing.

Despite it being her own choice and receiving a huge amount of praise and honouring for her courage in making the decision, she also received a fair share of backlash. Many accused her of quitting and letting her teammates down due to her lack of ‘physical injury’, but in reality mental health is just as important as physical, even though it cannot be seen. What Biles did wasn’t a weakness in fact, but a huge strength, initiating conversation globally and setting ever important boundaries.

These boundaries are so important for us to acknowledge, whether in daily life or as an athlete in sport. Although Biles has incredible talent and abilities, she is only human and not invincible, athletes are susceptible to challenges mentally and physically to, and setting these boundaries in place to avoid unnecessary harm. Her choice has sparked the industry to consider and question the fact that success should be prioritised over wellbeing. Struggles are often disregarded within the industry, repressing feelings or experiences to push through, not quit which can take away from wellbeing and happiness as a consequence when it doesn’t have to be that way. Athletes are human being with an array of qualities, their identity does not have to be determined by their winnings. She has shown that in her stepping away, conveying vulnerability isn’t a weakness and we can put our ego to the side when considering our health.

Biles has sparked important discussions, considerations and outlooks we have surrounding mental health within our lives as a whole and the sporting industry, helping to change for the better, inspire other athletes and remind us to have to courage and bravery to prioritise our wellbeing even when fear and discomfort way arise as a result.

In a statement she said, “I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do. We're not just athletes. We're people at the end of the day and sometimes you just have to step back.”