This summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo has given rise to a global conversation over mental health challenges for elite athletes, all while the COVID-19 pandemic create a barren backdrop for competition.
The circumstances demand a heightened competitive focus among Olympic athletes, says Dr. David Coppel, a UW Medicine sports psychologist.
“Obviously they have anxiety about performance and wanting to succeed, but you have this added issue of a global pandemic, and it’s a bit more that they have to often think about,” says Coppel, who’s worked with the U.S. Olympic team at two previous Games.
