The International Olympic Committee advances a second Consensus Statement on Mental Health in Elite Athletes

“For International Federations and National Governing Bodies, this second IOC consensus statement demands decisive action. Mental health must be embedded as a core element of governance, safeguarding and high-performance systems, and not treated as an adjunct to medical care or athlete resilience.”

“The responsibility for prevention, recognition and management of mental health symptoms and disorders and for promoting wellbeing extends across the entire elite sport ecosystem. Protecting and promoting mental health is fundamental to both athlete welfare and sustainable high performance, requiring leadership, accountability and long-term commitment from sporting organisations.”

“While recognition of overt mental health disorders in elite athletes remains essential, situating athlete wellbeing within a dynamic continuum offers an additional framework for understanding the spectrum of psychological functioning in this population. For example, elite athletes may experience transient stress reactions related to competitions, to various temporary setbacks that are a normal and common part of elite athlete life, or to intense training periods. Thus, there are important mental health considerations even if an athlete does not have a diagnosable disorder.”