Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she would withdraw from the French Open after she was fined and threatened with being disqualified for not speaking to media during the tournament to protect her mental health.
French Open officials and others initially reacted not with concern but by criticising her for not fulfilling her obligations. This occurred despite the fact that her refusal came after a first-round win, unlike others fined for skipping press conferences after losses.
The evolving maelstrom that has followed weighs two priorities – the obligation to fulfill one’s job requirements, which in Osaka’s case includes talking to the press – and protecting one’s mental wellness. While a physical injury is routinely accepted as a legitimate reason for not performing aspects of one’s duties, mental or emotional injury has yet to reach the same level of attention or legitimacy.
Read the full article at Science – The Wire