ADAMS FEARS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
Adams fears surge in cases linked to pandemic
PROFESSIONAL sports teams and governing bodies have been warned to brace themselves for a spike in mental health problems as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Issues such as anxiety, depression and self-harm, as well as addictions, could be on the rise during the period of inactivity so many sports are experiencing. Bosses at the Professional Cricketers’ Association have turned to charity Sporting Chance, founded by former England football captain Tony Adams, to look after their mental health provisions in this area, and the timing might not have been better.
The coronavirus situation, which has seen six Surrey cricketers move into self-isolation after exposure to symptoms, has thrown top-level sport into crisis leaving many athletes in turmoil over an uncertain future.
“We believe there will be a spike in mental health issues,” said Ian Thomas, PCA director of welfare. “It is going to knock their training regimes, their routines and all the stuff that causes people anxiety when they transition out of the game.
“We are in unprecedented times and we need to do as much as we can to reassure our members. Their health and wellbeing is of paramount importance.
“It is a time when we need to look after those who might be more vulnerable, not only from a physical point of view but from a mental challenge too in isolation.” Adams has helped lead on education for players and has been impressed at the work cricket does in this area through personal development and welfare managers.
There were 85 PCA members, 40 current and 45 ex-players, who used their confidential phone number to seek help from the organisation in 2019, continuing a year-on-year rise from 59 in 2017.
The association’s charitable arm, the PCA Trust, has been boosted by a £100,000 direct donation from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Adams said: “We have researched our network of therapists to work out who can see people face to face and who can see people through Skype.
“One of the things we make sure is that we don’t miss a beat on providing our service and provision. There are differences between sports, but people are people whether they play sport for a living or not. Cricket has had some good examples of players who have spoken out about mental health.
“No one came and spoke at my club when I was a player, my role models took me down the pub and the bookies but now, through Sporting Chance and others, you’ve got education going on at clubs to help players from the outset.”