Impact of COVID Lockdown on Mental Health of Elite Athletes – A Status Study

Abstract

Covid lockdown upset the whole globe to a stunning shock. Never in life we had ever faced such a crisis, complete lockdown, which all lead up in lonely untouchable deaths, sickness, isolation, quarantine finally ended up in disordered mental health. Though there is an increased awareness on health and using need for staying fit, the lockdown restrictions doesn’t pay space for it. If this is the case for the normal, athletes who dedicate their entire life, investing, time, body, mind and soul all into athletic performance have completely dislodged routines. A layman’s eyes may find life of a sports man a fun filled, excited, easy go. But it’s not the true colour. Ambitious, ameturistic life into training has changed to cloudy future feared min set. The purpose of this study was to find out the mental health status of elite athletes during covid lockdown. To conduct the study, data was collected through google form using Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10). Out of the 374 athletes who responded, 218 athletes (58.29%) where in extreme stress almost all the time during covid lockdown. Thus it is concluded that, in this situation coach and sports psychologists have to create awareness about the lockdown, contact athletes and council them. Athletes are the pride of every nation, they need to recover from psychological setbacks. So, it is. The need of the hour to design a best training programme suitable and possible during lockdown to protect their skills and abilities. Even from these minds, our national athletes need to recover from psychological setbacks. So, we need to find the best training method for them and protect their skills.