With Mental Health Struggles Himself, Lewis Hamilton Fired One Reminder Amid “Ridiculous” Naomi Osaka Saga

The contemporary world is harsh to athletes; everything goes well till they perform. But as soon as they drop their level of play for any reason, people are waiting to fire shots in their direction. Over time, we have observed athletes discussing their physical health in international sports, but when someone speaks about their mental health, the world doesn’t necessarily take it well. In a similar circumstance, Lewis Hamilton stood for this young tennis star’s defense last year.

Sir Lewis Hamilton has consistently taken an outspoken stance on social issues that many choose to ignore. One such issue is addressing mental health. Hamilton understands how it feels to be in depression since he has personally experienced the dark side of life at some point in his career. In regard to the outrage against Naomi Osaka, Hamilton last year issued a blistering critique.

Emphasizing her mental health, the Japanese tennis player withdrew from the 2021 French Open. The 25-year-old athlete chose not to participate in any Roland Garros media interviews. But her choice drew some harsh criticism, and the tennis authorities also imposed a $15,000 punishment on her. Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton, who was spotted in a press conference, applauded her and criticized the organizers.

The Briton said, “When you’re young, you’re often thrown into the arena unprepared and you feel pressure. It happened to me too, you learn from mistakes. The affair had to be handled differently. Naomi is a great activist and a great athlete, but let’s remember first of all that she is a human being.” [Translated Via Google]

READ MORE: She Didn’t Feel Comfortable Doing Something…”: Lewis Hamilton Shows Society the Mirror With Strong Verbal Support for Tennis Star Naomi Osaka

Lewis Hamilton’s path, which earned him numerous honors, also exposed him to some difficult times. Last year, the Briton revealed some of the challenges he faced during his early days in Formula 1.

Lewis Hamilton recalls the pressure he faced while making his Formula One debut

Hamilton has been in the spotlight since making his debut. Throughout his illustrious career, the Briton has maintained positive relationships with the media. However, Osaka’s argument sparked a debate over the relationship between athletes and the media, which ultimately brought Hamilton back to thinking about his early career when he had experienced pressure while making his Formula One debut.

He said, “When you are young, you are thrown into the limelight and the spotlight, and it weighs heavily on you. Most of us are not prepared. I have learned the hard way and made many a mistake. It can be daunting in front of a camera. It is not the easiest thing to do, particularly if you are an introvert and you struggle under those kinds of pressures.”

Showing further concern about the upcoming younger athletes, Hamilton added, “When youngsters are coming in, they are facing the same thing and I don’t know whether that is the best for them.”

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The competitiveness in the sporting world is increasing as players’ drive for victory increases sharply. Athletes all over the world have improved their standards, and with that, we could see some players experiencing physical and mental stress. The least we can do is encourage the athletes rather than criticize them.