Exclusive: Demand from athletes and staff for mental health support is up almost 80 per cent on the same period last year as we close in on the Tokyo Olympics. The Australian Institute of Sport confirmed the spike and said the impact of COVID was the primary or secondary issue in 79 per cent of the referrals. Safety and vaccination were part of the concerns with Games preparation and selection, work stress and general wellbeing also among the key themes. The AIS Mental Health Referral Network (MHRN) has received as many referrals in March 2021 as were received in January and February combined.
Spike in Aussie athletes seeking mental health support sunshinecoastdaily.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sunshinecoastdaily.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Sport by Julian Linden
Premium Content  The first modern Olympic Games held in an odd-numbered year, Tokyo 2021 is going to be very different from all of the others. As the world s biggest multi-sports event, the level of planning that goes into running an Olympic Games is already mind-boggling but the extra biosecurity challenges caused by the global pandemic have elevated Tokyo to a whole new level of complexity. It may not appear that unusual to anyone casually watching events unfold on television, but rest assured, nothing on the ground at Tokyo 2021 will be close to normal. Foreign spectators have already been told they won t be allowed into Japan so they will have to stay at home while the decision on how many local fans can attend events is still pending - though one thing is already known: if they do get inside the stadiums, they ll have to keep quiet because singing and cheering isn t permitted.
Not close to normal : Why Olympics will be truly bizarre noosanews.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from noosanews.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.