Athletes’ mental health getting more focus at Winter Olympics

“It’s really become a hot topic,” said Dr. Jess Bartley of the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — At any Olympic Games, there is a lot of pressure on athletes’ shoulders, and it can become extremely difficult for them to balance mental and physical health.

“It really has become an important issue for the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and also for our society,” said Dr. Jess Bartley of the US Olympic and Paralympic Training Center.

During the delayed Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Team USA I learned a lot about how a pandemic can increase the pressure on the mental health of Olympic athletes.

At Winter Olympics in BeijingTeam USA has an updated plan that puts more mental health professionals on the ground to help its athletes.

“We will have two therapists and a psychiatrist who will be full-time mental health officers,” Bartley said.

Athletes who end up in quarantine during the games will find an expanded pandemic care package to keep their minds sharp.

“We get everything from Nintendo switches that don’t need the internet, we have iPods, we have books to read, things to color, we have beads to knit and sew,” Bartley said. bit of everything just to keep people busy.”

RELATED: Shiffrin saw what Biles and other Summer Olympians went through

RELATED: Biles: mental health advocacy as part of post-Olympic tour

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