French Olympic athletes to receive mental health protection in response to heightened cyberbullying

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French athletes at the Paris Olympics will be offered better protection for their mental health, with priority given to curbing online harassment and cyberbullying.

France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra and Secretary of State for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari have been discussing ways to ensure mental health is looked after at the July 26-Aug. 11 Paris Games and Aug 28-Sept. 8 Paralympics.

Oudéa-Castéra pointed out the continued threat of cyberbullying to mental health in society in general, a risk she says is magnified when high-profile athletes are continually in the spotlight.

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"Athletes as well as many of our citizens are exposed to these risks," she said. "We are implementing the tools to help our athletes, but also our young and all French people."

French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera attends the inauguration of the Roucas Blanc Marina constructed for the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Marseille, southern France, on April 2, 2024. French athletes at the Paris Olympics will be offered better protection for their mental health, with priority given to curbing online harassment and cyberbullying. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)

A study carried out by France’s National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance (INSEP) showed that 15% of athletes have shown signs of high anxiety or depression, with the first signs of psychological difficulties beginning on average at the age of 17.

The risk factors themselves are already well-known. They include being away from family for sustained