Legendary cricketer Kapil Dev found more than a few detractors after a clip of him dismissing depression as an ‘American’ fad surfaced online. At an event organised by an educational institute, Kapil Dev spoke about depression and pressure that students face – trivialising both in the process.
In response to a question posed by Saina Nehwal, Kapil Dev sought to draw a dichotomy between passion and pressure, arguing that they are mutually exclusive. “I think I had a passion to play… I will change the subject slightly. Today, on TV I hear a lot about players saying they face so much pressure when playing the IPL. I want to tell them one thing - Don’t play then,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience. “If you have passion, you don’t feel pressure.”
“I don’t understand these American words like pressure and depression,” said Kapil Dev.
He continued in a similar vein as he spoke about students and the pressure they face in school. “They study in air-conditioned schools, parents pay their fees, teachers can’t hit them but yet they feel pressure,” he said, again to loud cheers from the audience. “How can they feel pressure. Their parents work hard to pay the fee and they say they feel pressure… pressure is a very strong word,” said Kapil Dev.
The cricketer’s stance on stress and mental health was deemed problematic by many who pointed out that financial security and air conditioned classrooms are not safeguards against depression.
Kapil Dev’s heart may be in the right place, but suffice to say his articulation left a lot to be desired. Indeed, his comments were almost surprising, coming as they did from a man who was not afraid to show vulnerability in front of millions when he cried on national television in 2002 over match-fixing allegations.
In view of the controversy brewing around Kapil Dev's remarks on mental health, here is a look at five other sportspersons who tackled the topic with more tact, honesty and sensitivity.
Virat Kohli
The former Indian skipper has spoken about the pressure of the game and the effect it had on his mental health. Ahead of his return to cricket with the 2022 Asia Cup after a month-long break, Virat Kohli told Star Sports: “For the first time in 10 years, I didn't touch my bat for a month.
“When I sat down and thought about it I was like, 'wow, I haven't touched a bat for like 30 days'. I haven't ever done that in my life.
“I came to the realisation that I was trying to fake my intensity a bit recently. I was convincing myself that no, you had the intensity. But your body is telling you to stop. Your mind is telling me to take a break and step back.
“I'm looked at as a guy who has been mentally very strong and I am. But everyone has a limit and you need to recognize that limit, otherwise, things can get unhealthy for you,” warned Kohli.
Virat Kohli has spoken about the importance of mental health on other occasions too. "Lot of people suffer with that feeling for longer periods of time, it carries on for months, it carries on for a whole cricket season, people are not able to get out of it," he said last year.
"I strongly feel the need for professional help there to be very honest," he added.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles, star of the US gymnastics team, pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics citing mental health in a move that changed the conversation around the topic.
The seven-time Olympic medallist has since spoken about the importance of prioritising mental wellbeing and having a support system.
"See for me, that was the hardest part because speaking out on mental health, I knew that I could have the possibility of becoming an advocate for that. But it wasn't my goal. It's not what I really wanted," Biles told Olympics.com in an interview after withdrawing from the Tokyo Games.
"It's really important to use that support system and know they're there for you and not against you, because at the end of the day, us as humans, we hate asking for help," she said, adding: “For me, it was important to include the mental health aspect because I know a lot of people coming out to watch this show go through similar things and to know that I'm not just brushing it aside or hiding it under the rug, that I'm bringing that talking and viewpoint to the forefront.”
Ben Stokes
England test captain Ben Stokes revealed last month he had feared he might not play again after taking an extended break from cricket last year to focus on his wellbeing.
Stokes decided to prioritise his mental health after suffering from a series of panic attacks following the death of his father due to brain cancer almost two years ago, according to Reuters.
“I find sometimes people are a bit nervous to go into the detail about that kind of stuff with me,” he said.
“It's perceived you can't feel a certain way - that's a sign of weakness to show that you are not mentally feeling great. People think they can't ask people who have struggled. No. It's fine. I'll happily tell you as much as I possibly can.”
Naomi Osaka
Before Simone Biles, it was Naomi Osaka who sparked a conversation on mental health. The Japanese tennis player withdrew from the French Open in 2021, explaining that she had battled depression for three years.
Osaka said in the build-up to the tournament that she would not attend the obligatory press conferences for players after matches, saying the questioning by journalists stresses her mental health.
“The truth is that I have suffered long bouts of depression since the U.S. Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that,” she said.
“Anyone that knows me knows I'm introverted, and anyone that has seen me at the tournaments will notice that I'm often wearing headphones as that helps dull my social anxiety.”
Serena Williams
Another tennis star who has been candid about her struggle with depression is Serena Williams. In 2011, she revealed she had been battling depression since winning Wimbledon the previous year.
“I cried all the time. I was miserable to be around,” Serena Williams said in an interview.
(With inputs from agencies)
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