Simone Biles Docuseries Sheds Light on Mental Health in Sports

The most decorated athlete in the sport of gymnastics is returning to the Olympic Games—but not before sharing an important message on mental health.

Why it Matters:

In a recently released Netflix docu-series, “Simone Biles Rising,” the Olympian shared her journey back into the sport following a public mental health struggle. Biles recalls the public scrutiny she faced as a result of pulling out from the 2020 Olympic Games. While the series centers on Biles’ athletic career, her discussion on the topic shines a spotlight on the pressure that athletes face as they hone their craft.

Key Points:

• In response to her taking a step back from her sport in the name of mental health, Biles faced heavy criticism from athletes and spectators alike.
• This criticism and her response to it, highlighted in the series, opens the door to conversation on how prioritizing mental health can be viewed negatively in the sports world.
• Biles’ sentiments are shared by other athletes working to balance their sport and their personal well-being.

Broader View:

• Luke Cheng, a baseball player starting the fifth year of his collegiate run at the University of Mississippi, has a story similar to that of Biles. Injuries that disrupted his freshman and junior year seasons gave him time to reflect on how to take care of himself and be seen as more than just an athlete.
• “I definitely realized, especially after my freshman year, if sports is everything you are and that gets taken away from you, it can be really tough to deal with,” Cheng said.
• Now, as he takes on a leadership role as part of the Athlete to Athlete mentor program, he hopes to become a resource for his mentees.
• “Whether people call it mental health or not, there’s always going to be pressure and there’s always going to be some anxiety … and everybody has their own different ways that it affects them,” Cheng said. “So I think it is especially useful for people like us that have the ability to impact people’s lives to be open and honest and tell them that it’s okay.”
• Francisco Roman, a Tulane University track athlete between seasons, said Biles’ honesty and willingness to discuss the topic of mental health will set an example for younger athletes.
• “Athletes are taught to just put your feelings behind you and compete, and there’s no bigger stage than the Olympics,” Roman said. “So to have someone decide to take a step back for themselves, that trickles all the way down so even an athlete in high school or middle school will be prioritizing how they feel about their own self concept over performing at a competition.”