The pressure for results and the intense routine of high-performance sports have led athletes to seek psychological support. Cases like Simone Biles, Rayssa Leal, Fernando Scherer, and Rafael Silva highlight the importance of mental health care for both athletic performance and personal well-being. Although sports psychology has existed for decades, it is now gaining broader recognition and integration into Olympic preparation.
Recent studies show that a significant number of Brazilian athletes and coaches report symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts, raising awareness of the need for continuous support. Since the Tokyo Games, the Brazilian Olympic Committee has expanded its mental health team, focusing not only on the Olympics themselves but on the entire preparation cycle.
Experts emphasize that mental care is just as important as physical and nutritional training. Incorporating self-care strategies and therapy into athletes' routines has become essential for maintaining emotional balance and ensuring long-term athletic careers.
The conversation around mental health in elite sports has been gaining momentum and is gradually breaking the stigma that long equated psychological distress with weakness. The impact of this shift goes beyond courts, tracks, and arenas: it inspires young athletes, coaching teams, sports institutions, and the general public to view mental well-being as essential to both performance and life.
When public figures like Rayssa Leal, Simone Biles, Rebeca Andrade, and Fernando Scherer speak openly about their vulnerabilities, they not only humanize sports but also create a ripple effect — inside and outside Olympic venues. The impact is already visible on social media, in youth training programs, universities, and workplaces, where emotional well-being is increasingly valued as a foundation for sustainable success.
At R7 Estúdio, the special feature “THEY ARE NOT SUPERHEROES” captured the scale of this transformation, reaching over 3 million video views and 500,000 social media interactions, while sparking widespread engagement from athletes and mental health professionals. The project reinforces the role of journalism in actively listening and amplifying voices that, for too long, were silenced by a culture of relentless achievement.
With Paris 2024, the topic is once again front and center on the global sports stage. And all signs point to an audience that is ready to applaud not just medals — but also those who have the courage to say they need help and find strength in doing so.