Sports Controversies: Part 3 — the Naomi Osaka Story

By Madden R. and Adaire M.

Mental health issues can be problematic for famous athletes. One such story is that of  Naomi Osaka.

Osaka is a 23-year-old professional tennis player and is the highest paid female athlete in the world, according to Forbes. The trouble began when she refused to do media interviews at the French Open in 2021. She was fined $15,000 dollars for missing a post match press conference. 

Should players have to take questions from reporters or can they decline? This is the controversy we will explore this week.

Following the French Open incident, Osaka posted to Twitter explaining her decision. “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. 

According to INSIDER, which is an American online media company, she said, “I get really nervous and find it stressful to always engage and give you the best answers I can.” 

The 2020 Official Grand Slam Rule Book states that, at the close of the game, unless a player is seriously injured, that he or she is required to attend the media rounds and answer questions that are posed by both the host nation’s and foreign journalists, according to Racket Sports World. It also states that failure to do this will result in a fine, and that the player is expected to pay this fine to avoid further punishment.

Osaka was in tears following a match in August 2021 when a reporter accused her of using the media when it suits her. However, since this incident, she has had several uneventful press conferences and hasn’t refused to participate.

Lots of people have opinions on whether athletes need to participate in press conferences. It goes without saying that mental health can be a big issue for athletes once they are in the spotlight. In the case of Naomi Osaka, for the time being it appears that she is interacting with the press after taking a step back. Perhaps a solution to this controversy is to give athletes the space to regroup so they can come back healthier and more energized than before.