‘Piers Morgan has no right to judge Simone Biles – athletes are real people with feelings’ says Olympian Tessa Sanderson
I’LL never forget the moment I walked into the Olympic Arena back in 1984, one of six appearances I made for Team GB and where I won my first gold medal in the javelin.
My heart was racing away with all the tension and nervousness before and then when I walked out I was terrified.
It’s truly scary. All you can think about is what you have to do, focus your mind and try not to get distracted by the buzzing atmosphere of the crowd.
While I’ve been fortunate to never have a breakdown, I can understand why Simone Biles decided to pull out of the women’s team gymnastics for mental health reasons.
Like many fans, I was disappointed and had been really looking forward to seeing what she could do but, ultimately, I knew it was the right thing for her to do.
As an athlete, you don’t want to disappoint anyone and you can have so many things going on in your head that many people don’t know about.
In the past, Simone bravely spoke out about suffering sexual abuse and, like many of us, has had a difficult year as she had tried to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic.
We are real people who feel hurt and after countless hours of training, we just want to do well and bring home a shiny medal
Tessa Sanderson
The one thing that has not been ok is the response and harsh comments about her decision to withdraw.
People think athletes are superhuman but we are not. We are real people who feel hurt and after countless hours of training, we just want to do well and bring home a shiny medal.
We have worked extremely hard to get where we are and in just two seconds – whether that’s a movement or, in my case, a throw – your time at the Olympics could be over.
Unless you’ve been in that arena, which can be terrifying and felt that nervousness, you are not fit to criticise Simone, Naomi Osaka or anyone. You do not know the pressure.
My take on Piers Morgan’s and others’ criticisms is if you haven’t been in that arena you cannot understand.
If you’ve not demonstrated the commitment it takes to be in that line-up, you cannot know and should not be so harsh.
Social media can be great in some ways but if you’re facing mental health problems it can be one of the worst things.
Hidden bullies online can send nasty messages to someone whether they have done well or not – their abuse can take all forms.
When a person hits send, they likely don’t realise how disheartening and detrimental it can be to read such hurtful comments and it can affect the way they perform.
‘Simone was brave’
Simone was brave for what she did. She wasn’t able to focus and we could see that as she went from mistake to mistake.
I felt sad for her as we all know she could have performed better. I’m sure she knows it too.
Simone did the best she could but she couldn’t get into the zone and so rather than go out there and disappoint herself and others, she decided to withdraw.
Mental health problems can make it hard to focus and distract you. She did the right thing and it will help her in the future I have no doubt.
The Olympic Games is the greatest sporting show on the earth. You have so many different sports under one roof, people of different shapes, sizes and attitudes.
During events, people cry, laugh and cheer but Simone expressed something that is rarely spoken about – the difficulties in her mind.
These kinds of problems are hidden, kept silent and seen as taboo but they need to be put out there more. I think she was very brave.
Back in my time, while representing Team GB he had difficulties too but I definitely think young athletes have a harder time now.
When you didn’t perform something bad might be written about you but I think it’s far worse today, they are all more intensely criticised.
Some people can deal with it but others can’t. The one thing every fan should remember is that every athlete has done their best.
For me, I was lucky, I had a coach who believed in me, a lot of self-belief and a family who filled me with confidence.
You have to do it for yourself and not the world, because the world’s expectations are too big
Tessa Sanderson
When I walked out into the arena, I knew I couldn’t be distracted and I couldn’t turn around and walk away, it was a very scary feeling.
But for me, it was also a lovely feeling too, I managed to overcome my fear thanks to my self-belief.
People told me at the time: “You have to do your best and compete for yourself, not the rest of the world.”
They were right, you’ve got to compete for yourself alone because you’ll be living with your actions for the rest of your life.
As an athlete, it can feel like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders but you have to do it for yourself and not the world, because the world’s expectations are too big.
‘Toughest Olympic Games’ yet
This is arguably one of the toughest Olympic Games because it’s so much about mind over matter. I’m sure they are all facing a lot of stress and maybe more anxiety due to lockdowns.
Normally you can walk into the stadium and feel the buzz as people shout – even if you can’t hear or they’re not shouting your name.
The atmosphere lifts your mind and body, which is very important.
But if you go in and hardly anyone is there and before that you had to be in your room away from everyone else, your mind is going to be thinking all of the time. There are no distractions.
When you go out there, it feels like you are competing for the world – everyone’s eyes are on you and then there’s the pressure that you put on yourself too.
Your mind, body and soul needs to come together, otherwise you have a problem
Tessa Sanderson
Athletes go out there and perform to the best of their ability, so criticising them is unfair. Often you don’t know their background or what’s going on in their lives.
To say they are hopeless or did not perform to the best of their ability is not fair, nobody knows what that person went through.
Often I would think to myself: “I’m here and I’ve got to do what I’ve practiced and trained for so long to do.”
When you’re in this competition, you are going against people at the top of their game and you have to go out there with a clear head.
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If you have negative things running through your mind you cannot have a clear head. Your mind, body and soul needs to come together, otherwise you have a problem
So I’m proud of Simone’s choice – she couldn’t concentrate and not pulling out would have been awful for her and her mental health.
She has a positive future ahead of her and I feel she will do even better next time.