Potentially Prolonged Psychological Distress from Postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games during COVID-19-Career Uncertainty in Elite Athletes.

Anders Håkansson,Göran Kenttä,Caroline Jönsson,Karin Moesch

doi:10.3390/ijerph18010002

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the world of sports due to periods of home quarantine, bans against public gatherings, travel restrictions, and a large number of postponed or canceled major sporting events. The literature hitherto is sparse, but early indications display signs of psychological impact on elite athletes due to the pandemic. However, beyond acute effects from lockdown and short-term interrupted athletic seasons, the postponed and still uncertain Olympic and Paralympic Games may represent a major career insecurity to many athletes world-wide, and may lead to severe changes to everyday lives and potentially prolonged psychological distress. Given the long-term perspective of these changes, researchers and stakeholders should address mental health and long-term job insecurity in athletes, including a specific focus on those with small financial margins, such as many female athletes, parasports athletes, athletes in smaller sports, and athletes from developing countries. Implications and the need for research are discussed.

Highlights

The present paper aims to raise topics related to the prolonged psychological consequences for elite athletes and aspiring elite athletes, and for broader sectors involving many professionals around them, related to the previously unseen and prolonged uncertainty regarding the Olympic and Paralympic
As the planning for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games can be re-activated in the event of a more favorable pandemic situation, such a decision will have to take into account the highly diverse conditions for qualification and preparation world-wide, based on diverse phases of the COVID-19 spread
Recommendations for stakeholders within and surrounding the world of sports may be (1) to provide career support for athletes who are affected by the postponement; (2) to increase sports psychology support to meet the needs of the athletes, with a special focus on coping with insecurity about their career and their future; (3) to provide access to mental health providers in specialized or general psychiatric facilities for athletes who suffer from clinical symptoms; and (4) to formulate regional and global action plans for the potential impact on occupational situations and health in athletes and other affected stakeholders in the case of a final cancelation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Summary

Introduction

During the early stages of the pandemic, in addition to a broad range of COVID-19-related advice and guidelines published within the domain of sports by different stakeholders internationally, concerns about physical and psychological health consequences in athletes were raised within the scientific community [11,12]. Prior to the particular situation of COVID-19, psychological distress and mental health in athletes have received increasing attention from researchers and relevant stakeholders in recent years.

Results

Conclusion