08 August 2024 – An AI-powered cyber abuse protection service and a first-of-its-kind Mind Zone in the Olympic Village are among the new mental health initiatives in place to support athletes at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, building on the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s ongoing work on this crucial topic.
At Paris 2024, the IOC is delivering the most comprehensive package of mental health and safeguarding initiatives, services and infrastructure of any Olympic or sporting event in history. This includes:
A new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cyber abuse protection service, covering all athletes competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, which has already taken down thousands of abusive posts before they reached the athletes;A new Mind Zone x Powerade, which has welcomed over 800 athletes and entourage members in the Paris Olympic Village, with a 92 per cent satisfaction rate;A network of safeguarding officers within National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs) to ensure the services are available to all athletes and adapted to their specific local contexts. At Paris 2024, this network includes:
148 accredited NOC Welfare Officers, from 76 NOCs, who are here to support their delegations. The Welfare Officers are registered, nationally certified mental health practitioners and/or internationally certified safeguarding practitioners.41 IF safeguarding focal points.Two IOC Safeguarding Officers located in the Olympic Village.
AI-powered abuse protection throughout Games time
Paris 2024 marks the first time that AI has been used to provide safe online spaces for such a large number of athletes competing in so many different sports simultaneously. As part of the Olympic AI Agenda, a new AI-powered monitoring service has been protecting athletes and officials throughout Games time by monitoring thousands of accounts on all major social media platforms, in 37 languages, in real time.
Any identified threats have been quickly flagged, enabling the relevant social media platforms to promptly and effectively deal with the abuse – often before the athlete has even had a chance to see what has been posted.
First-of-its-kind mindfulness space supporting athletes in Paris
The Athlete365 Mind Zone x Powerade in the Olympic Village in Paris is a first-of-its-kind space designed to help athletes relax, recharge and mentally prepare for competition through mindfulness activities.
Delivered in partnership with Worldwide Olympic Partner Coca-Cola through its Powerade brand, the space is conveniently located on the first floor of the Olympic Village fitness centre in Paris, reflecting the IOC’s belief that mental and physical health are two halves of the same whole. An IOC team has been on site to guide athletes through the activities and engage in confidential chats when needed, complementing the polyclinic, where trained psychologists and psychiatrists are available.
Activities include an immersive virtual reality (VR) mindfulness experience, which takes place in disconnection pods and encourages athletes to try calming breathing and visualisation exercises to help them sleep better and prepare for their competition. The space offers a cool, quiet and tranquil environment for athletes to reset, where they can switch off from their phones and try activities such as painting and yoga.
The space was designed with the aim of giving the athletes a place within the Olympic Village where they can disconnect and decompress.
It has proved a hit with athletes, with Mexican archer Ana Vázquez visiting regularly as she prepared for her competition, in which she won a bronze medal alongside Alejandra Valencia and Ángela Ruiz.
“For me personally, I love the Mind Zone; it’s mind-blowing,” she said. “[The VR experience is] just amazing; I cried the first time I did it, and I have been there a lot of times since then because I want to rest well and get ready for the competition.”
Mentally Fit Helpline always open to athletes
The Mentally Fit Helpline has also been offering athletes dedicated, confidential and anonymous support throughout the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Developed ahead of Tokyo 2020, the service is staffed by trained counsellors.
Support provided to all Paris 2024 Olympians and Paralympians;Available 24 hours a day in over 70 languages;Will remain accessible to athletes for four years after the Games until July 2028, representing the IOC’s commitment to supporting athletes throughout their careers.
Through the Athlete365 platform, athletes can also take courses on mental health topics such as dealing with the Olympic blues, and benefit from a free subscription to a mindfulness app.
Continued IOC commitment to protecting athletes’ well-being
In 2023, the IOC launched its Mental Health Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy that will serve as a roadmap for the IOC to promote mental well-being.
This builds on the IOC’s strong work over many years in the areas of mental health and safeguarding which includes the IOC Safeguarding Toolkit for IFs and NOCs and the IOC Mental Health in Elite Athletes Toolkit.
Find out more about the IOC’s work on mental health and safeguarding
