Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka’s ‘courage’ on mental health

Sponsors hail Naomi Osaka’s ‘courage’ on mental health
Posted on Jun 03 2021
Associated Press

A few years ago, a star athlete dropping out of a major tennis tournament over mental health issues might have been seen as a sign of weakness. Today, at least for Naomi Osaka’s corporate sponsors, it is being hailed as refreshingly honest. That would explain why so many of them have stuck by Osaka after the four-time Grand Slam champion announced Monday that she was withdrawing from the French Open because she didn’t want to appear for the requisite news conferences that caused her "huge waves of anxiety." Osaka, who also acknowledged suffering "long bouts of depression," received criticism by some who say the media events are just "part of the job." But Nike, Sweetgreen and other sponsors put out statements in support of the 23-year-old star after she revealed her struggles. Ken Duckworth, CMO of NAMI, said Osaka’s decision to go public is a positive development for all people who feel isolated. "We are moving from mental health and mental illness as a 'they' thing to a 'we' thing," he said. "These are ordinary common human problems. And I firmly believe that isolation and shame directly contributes to people not getting help. I look at a great athlete, an exceptional athlete, as one potential role model."