Mental health resources and initiatives from European national cycling federations: Insights on policy and practice

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Cycling can confer public mental health advantages for diverse populations, attenuating stressors and strengthening prosocial engagement. Conversely, competitive conditions in high-performance domains may entail prominent psychiatric risk factors that require bespoke interventions. In other sports, certain national federations have introduced mental health schemes for various target populations. However, the extent to which comparable approaches have been adopted across cycling remains unclear. Methods: We sought to gain broader insights into whether European cycling federations (ECFs) have implemented dedicated programmes around mental health, focussing on N=51 ECFs affiliated with the international regulator, the Union Cycliste Internationale. Initially, a search was conducted of ECF websites. Where apposite materials were unavailable, ECFs were contacted via email and phone. Results: 62% of total ECFs (N=32) were captured in the results. Findings were analysed and coded to three categories, namely: “ECF-level literature or initiatives”, “No ECF-level literature or initiatives”, and “No response”. Based on our interpretation, of these N=32 ECFs, n=7 (22%) highlighted literature and strategies either on their website or during contact phases. The remaining n=25 (78%) ECFs noted no official policies or initiatives. Conclusion: Across included ECFs, there appears to be limited consideration about developing mental health schemes, potentially conditioned by resource constraints or disparate organisational priorities and regulations. For those ECFs with relevant programmes, the majority focussed on high-performance contexts, with less attention towards the relationship between cycling and mental health in broader demographics. Accordingly, evidence from different associations and sports could guide effective, tailored approaches.