The inaugural National Olympic Committee of Kenya conference held via video link this week brought to the fore the problems Kenyan sportsmen and women face as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to bite.
Participants, among them sports psychologists, coaches and athletes, underscored the need for athletes to make good use of the postponement of all sporting activities to stay healthy mentally and physically.
One of the key talking points was the need for athletes to seek professional help in dealing with the anxiety brought about by the cancellation of sporting activities for which they have been preparing.
Key international sporting events to have been cancelled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic include the 2020 Olympic Games, the 2020 World Athletics Under-20 Championships, the London Marathon and the Tokyo Marathon.
Kenyan athletes who had been preparing for these events have not only suffered loss of revenue but they have also had to quickly adopt individual training programmes at home.
Young athletes are facing an even greater risk because they may resort to reckless behaviour when faced with such difficult situations and with an uncertain future.
Some athletes cannot afford personal training equipment and rely on gymnasiums, which are now out of bounds. Such athletes must improvise and come up with innovative ways of staying fit.
Athletes should open up and talk about the challenges they face as Kenya strives to contain the spread of Covid-19. More importantly, they should seek professional help.
Credit: Source link