[1] Olympic athletes train for years to reach their common goal: a medal at the Olympics. They push their bodies to the edge of human capability to stand on a podium and collect a gold, silver, or bronze medal. Competing in the Olympic Games requires immense physical ability and provides us with a spectacular display of physical prowess. However, the pressure often adds up to a heavy psychological load for athletes, both at the games and beyond and now the event's organisers and participants are also increasingly shining a light on mental well-being.
[2] Olympic gymnast Simone Biles recently withdrew from the team competition because of a mental health issue, and other prominent Olympic athletes-including Naomi Osaka and Michael Phelps-have also spoken out about their mental health struggles.
[3] For years, sport psychologists have worked alongside athletes to enhance performance. "Our job is to help athletes perform their best in spite of all the pressures and distractions that go along with the Olympics," said Karen Cogan, PhD, the sport psychologist for acrobat and combat sports at the USOPC. One exercise Cogan uses is working through "what if" scenarios with athletes. If you're in medal contention at your last event, how do you handle the pressure? How would you manage the stress of a security threat that delays the competition, if one occurs?[4] Other techniques include encouraging athletes to set high but realistic goals, developing skills to maintain concentration and focus, and managing stress through controlled breathing and positive self-talk. A common technique used by sport and fitness psychologists to enhance athletic performance is visualisation. For example, basketball players often spend practice time not just physically shooting hoops, but also visualising the basketball successfully dropping into the hoop.
[5] The push for expanding mental health care began in February 2020, when the USOPC assembled a mental health task force. That includes ongoing treatment for athletes managing conditions such as depression or anxiety, or intensive support for a competitor who tests positive for COVID-19 and is forced to drop out of the Tokyo Games.
[6] Other common concerns include eating disorders, substance use, trauma, and navigating retirement from sport. For the latter, Bartley uses acceptance and commitment therapy to help athletes identify values, such as discipline and teamwork, that they can take with them into their post-competition life.
(7] While individual competitions may not have changed too drastically in the last century, the arenas in which today's athletes perform have. The 2012 Summer Olympics in London set new records as the most-watched TV event in U.S. history, drawing nearly 220 million American viewers across the two-week games in just one country.
[8] In addition to this pressure, as with most events occurring in 2021, the Olympic Games are even more stressful this year because athletes must follow a strict set of COVID-19 protocols, including daily testing and restricted travel, and the new state of emergency in Tokyo means there are no fans at any events. Athletes are also without the support of their family and friends, as no international guests are allowed. This makes the role of the sports psychologist even more important for the athletes.   AIU UPDATE ON DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ATHLETES ASSERTED TO HAVE BREACHED ANTI-DOPING RULES DURING THE TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES
12 AUGUST 2021, MONACO: [1] In accordance with the lOC Anti-Doping Rules and the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has commenced disciplinary proceedings to determine any consequences beyond the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to be imposed upon four (4) track and field athletes who are asserted to have committed antidoping rules violations following testing conducting by the International Testing Agency (ITA) during the Tokyo
2020 Olympic Games.
12. The ITA, who are responsible for testing at the Olympic Games on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), had asserted anti-doping rule violations and provisionally suspended the athletes listed below during the Games.
1. Sadik Mikhou (BRN) - 1500m
2. Benik Abramyan (GEO) - Shot Put
3. Mark Otieno Odhiambo (KEN) - 100m
4. Chijindu Ujah (GBR) - 4X100m
[3] The AlU worked closely with the ITA during the Games and provided the intelligence to carry out specific target testing on two of the four athletes. The AlU now awaits the conclusion of the ITA proceedings against the above athletes, which will determine whether any anti-doping rule violations have been committed and what consequences (if any) should be imposed in relation to the Olympic