Why coronavirus crisis poses a threat to players’ mental health

In the African context, mental health is a dreaded subject that should only be discussed in low tones and not classified as a real concern. The same applies to sports personalities and in this case football players, both male and female, regardless of whether they are professionals or amateurs as they are the most affected compared to the general population. Studies have shown that one out of four players suffers mental health problems.

The case is not any different in Kenya and is usually as a result of interest from the public and media scrutiny that place high expectations on athletes. Football players are therefore left with no choice but to set unrealistic goals, despite not having enough emotional support to effectively manage the common mental disorders that come with say getting an injury at the peak of your career. Naturally, attention would shift to players who are fit, as you remain sidelined with the main focus on physical recovery and none on their mental wellbeing, with no deliberate effort whatsoever to help players cope with the stress that comes with it.

This unprecedented period has seen the coronavirus pandemic change the players’ routines from normal outdoor training and competitive mid-week and weekend matches to spending hours training alone and indoors. To some players, football is not solely for competition, but a way of expressing themselves and temporarily get away from their daily struggles. Inability to cope with the “new normal” triggers symptoms of depression, anxiety, feelings of distress, insomnia as well as drug and substance abuse now that the pandemic has disrupted their daily routines leaving them idle and uncertain about what the future holds.

One would argue that the break is probably what everyone needed after previously having had to deal with tight schedules. On the contrary, the ramifications could be damaging and this is where mental injury creeps in. There have been government directives and campaigns to take precautionary measures, so players do not have a choice but to stay home but still keep fit as the wait continues. It’s however easier said than done since most players even with designed programs and communication from their clubs would still procrastinate, or get a feeling that they can rest or focus on other things in the meantime. In the process, their Bone Mass Density (DMD) that is key in developing players’ motor skills, while helping them cope with high intensity work-out reduces thus when play resumes they become susceptible to injuries.

Professional players are icons and this in itself poses a challenge when it comes to them admitting that they have mental health issues, lest they appear weak, helpless and vulnerable. They often want to put a straight face, smile and appear tough even in the midst of a raging storm which is ‘expected’ from someone people idolise. It is even harder for the male counterparts who are taught from a tender age that “men don’t cry” hence opening up is not as easy as it seems.

To the public eye, the idea of a perfect life of football players is playing for the biggest clubs and earning lots of money and when you have that, you have it all. Statistics however show that about a third of professional players have mental problems and this is clear by the extent of cyber-bullying they sometimes have to endure, leaving them with career dissatisfaction in their quest to prove their worth because of a culture that prioritises results.

There may be a huge number of players suffering behind closed doors, with nobody to talk to with the focal point being the pandemic, as everyone ignores what could be a ticking time bomb. Behind those closed doors there are players struggling with poor diet, worried about where their next meal will come from or even uncertain about when the matches will resume with the next paycheque a mystery. This is besides having family issues, relationships struggles and suicidal thoughts as the world is focused on coronavirus.

They say football is not just a game, it’s a lifestyle. When one plays football so much it starts to feel like it is the only thing that places value on them. Sometimes what begins as a sweet dream can turn into a nightmare hence the need for players to have a non-judgmental listening ear and a safe space they can get help. Many players quit football because of depression and unlike in recent times, some did not get any advice to adopt a saving culture, strike equilibrium between football and education, nurture an alternative career neither were they offered an exit strategy say through individual coaching or being put in contact with potential employers.

It is therefore important for football stakeholders to join forces and create mandatory mental health awareness programs not just because of the coronavirus, but also for the long-term. This can be achieved through identification of players with mental health symptoms with the help of clubs and players’ union, as well as establishment of a referral network for adequate assistance by professionals. Coming up with a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) whose content includes mental health and counselling opportunities, together with a 24-hour help-line for players as they try to cope with stressful moments is also key.