Tracey Crouch, Minister for Sport and Civil Society, today unveiled the first Mental Health Action Plan for Elite Sport, which has been developed with mental health and sports organisations, including UK Coaching, to improve awareness and training in top-level sport.
A new mental health strategy will be implemented across all elite sports to promote good mental wellbeing and give athletes and National Governing Bodies better information about accessing sports and clinical psychologists.
By 2024, elite sport must have mental health procedures embedded in their performance plans, and provide clear pathways for athletes to help them access professional mental health support.
National Lottery Funded athletes will also be encouraged to visit mental health units to improve discussions and help break down the stigma around mental health.
Good mental health practise will also be embedded at a grassroots level as part of the plan.
Sport England will ingrain mental wellbeing into its Talent Strategy and teach holistic athlete development, and mental health welfare alongside physical training.
The Action Plan was developed after the Minister hosted two roundtables last year one with elite athletes from across British sport to hear firsthand the pressures they face and the other for sports and mental health organisations to discuss how the sector can improve support, and share best practice.