C01. Trends in sports
- Professor M
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 24
The top reasons given by the general public as reasons for enjoying watching sports were "because it's exciting and moving to watch," "because there is a team I'm rooting for," and "because there is a player I'm rooting for" (Marsh 2015.5.13). Additionally , when asked why they respect or like athletes, they cited mental aspects such as humility, superhuman mental strength, indomitable spirit, the fact that they like them and seem to have fun, and a stoic attitude (CM Co., Ltd. website 2020.6.19). The achievements of athletes inspire us greatly, and their mentality is often worthy of respect.
By the way, in 2021, the International Olympic Committee announced in its IOC Mental Health in Elite Athletes Toolkit that care for both their mental and physical health must be prioritized in elite athletes, and that sports organizations should establish systems to support the mental health of athletes .
The background to this statement is that while approximately 13% of the world's population suffers from some form of mental illness, research has shown that more than one in three athletes may experience mental health symptoms . Furthermore, the number of athletes coming out about their mental health problems has been increasing in recent years.
Although athletes have unique talents, they can be associated with mental health challenges, including burnout, distress, anxiety, depression, unhealthy eating patterns, insomnia, and alcohol and drug abuse . Mental health is multifactorial, with sport-related factors including injuries, pressure to perform, dealing with failure or success, and career transitions, as well as grief related to life challenges outside of sport , relationship conflicts, and financial difficulties.
In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has stated that employers should proactively work to promote mental health in the workplace. I think that stress checks conducted in companies are also becoming more widespread in society. There is a growing demand internationally for similar mental health care systems in sports organizations.
