“That’s What You Need to Do”: Gabby Douglas, 3-Time Olympic Champion, Backs Naomi Osaka’s Withdrawal From French Open 2021

American gymnast and a three-time Olympic Gold medalist Gabby Douglas spoke up in support of Naomi Osaka after she withdrew from the French Open 2021t due to mental health reasons. Gabby spoke about how important it is to value your mental health and even spoke about her experiences with mental health.

The 23-year-old from Japan withdrew from the Roland Garros after her first-round victory over Patricia Tig. Osaka cited mental health reasons for her withdrawal. The trouble started when she refused to sit for the mandatory post-match press conference, after her first round game. Naomi paid a fine of $15,000 for skipping the event.

“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago. I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” said Osaka through her social media handle. The young star got a lot of support from the outside world for her decision.

Gabby Douglas speaks up for Naomi Osaka

The 25-year-old came out in support of Naomi and shared her own experience with mental health issues. Gabby spoke about how the 2016 Olympic Games took a toll on her.

“Coming from that [I focused on] really healing myself, healing my mind and my body… Being an athlete, we go through so much already. If you need to step back, that’s what you need to do,” said Gabby.

It is true that athletes have to go through a lot, and cannot express themselves enough. Also, since they are always training and playing matches, they don’t get a lot of opportunities to focus on their mental health.

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Douglas mentioned that she even stays away from social media. “I’m not on social media a lot because social media did damage to my personality, in a way. So [I’ve] just been taking years off of social media, off my phone, and really just kind of getting back to who I am,” said Gabby.

The applause is loud when the athletes are winning on the field. On the other hand, athletes are trolled when they do not perform or fail, and all of this takes a toll on their mental health. What fans can do from their side is show support and solidarity for their favorite players even when they’re going through a rough patch.

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