Michael Phelps & Other Olympians Reveal Mental Health Struggles In The System
Video screenshot via HBO
The former competitive swimmer and 23-time gold medalist Michael Phelps has previously opened up about his mental health issues during his time as a renowned Olympic athlete. Now, he has gathered other high-profile athletes to speak about their mental struggles in a HBO documentary called The Weight of Gold.
The hour-long documentary features Phelps as the narrator and executive producer, along with snowboarder Shaun White, track star Lolo Jones, skier Bode Miller, speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno and more. It delves into the importance of caring for the mental wellbeing of athletes and the tumultuous experiences they have endured.
The documentary is aimed to shed light on mental health issues faced by the athletes and calls for a change in the system. “It breaks my heart because there are so many people who care so much about our physical wellbeing, but I never saw caring about our mental wellbeing,” Phelps said in a statement per USA Today.
“We’re products until we’ve stopped competing, and until we are stopped being treated like we’re products, we’re not going to change the equation,” he added.
Catch the trailer for the documentary and the panel discussion below.
[via Mashable, cover image via HBO]
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