LET’S TALK | SPORTS
T
he attention that comes from being a
gymnast Simone Biles received when they spoke out about their
professional sportsman or woman can be a heavy burden. Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder
mental health struggles. “We seem to have this false idea that mental illness has a certain look, which excludes people whom
Junior Khanye shares this sentiment. He said, “When you play professional sport, you become a public figure, you are doing
we perceive to be successful and powerful. Mental illness does not discriminate.”
work that everyone watches closely.” The soccer star rose to fame at a young age while playing
In 2008, Junior who had been abusing alcohol, booked himself into rehab but admits it was futile and didn’t make him face his
for South Africa’s biggest teams. He said while he would be celebrated when things were looking up, the opposite was
demons head-on. For him to finally feel as though he had some control over his mental health, Junior sought a higher power
true on his bad days. “Getting out of a dark pit means working
and found solace in reaching out to his ancestors.
hard. The public doesn’t see the hard work you put in behind the scenes.”
“As a black man with the type of upbringing I had, seeing a psychiatrist wasn’t an option for me,” he said. Junior now works
With little understanding of how to cope with the negativity, Junior turned to alcohol.
as a brand ambassador for Diski TV, analysing soccer. He also writes for Diski Times every Tuesday
“The problem is alcohol is easily accessible. When things are not going well, it’s easy to indulge and abuse substances,” he said. Junior climbed up the ranks quickly after making his debut aged 19. At 29, he officially retired, but leading up to this, he went through turbulent times. He said feeling down and languishing in darkness for days on end is common in soccer. The feelings he had at the time he cannot describe in words, and these were accompanied by Imposter Syndrome and self-doubt. According to Junior, this isn’t unfamiliar among sportsmen and women, but no one seems to speak openly about it.
JUANITA KHUMALO’S TIPS FOR MENTAL FITNESS • Strive to maintain balance • Practise healthy boundaries • Understand that feelings and needs matter • Disconnect • Exercise for the sake of your mental health
and hosts a radio show, while overseeing his foundation. He recently completed his biography. Juanita reiterated that prominent athletes need to speak up about mental health to reduce the stigma. “Mental illness is not reserved for a certain gender or individual. This stance by famous athletes is key in helping reduce the stigma associated with mental illness and shows the world athletes are human and we ought to start treating them with more empathy and kindness,” she said. A
A TABOO ISSUE
spotlight when tennis player Naomi Osaka spoke out about her challenges. This after she refused to do media interviews and ended up withdrawing from the French Open. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw the South African team travel with a psychologist whose sole job was to ensure they remained mentally fit. Fitness enthusiast and founder of Trove Wellness Juanita Khumalo said mental health continues to be taboo in sport and black families. “It’s a taboo topic in fitness and sports and in society, especially within black communities and among men and athletes,” she said and noted that black families left little room for people to be human. “We fail to practise empathy when individuals express their struggles with mental illness or prioritise their mental health.” She added that this was evident in the backlash Naomi and
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| THE AFROPOLITAN | ISSUE 2, 2021
Image: Gallo Images/Getty Images
Earlier this year, mental health in sport came under the
