Naomi Osaka Withdraws From The French Open

 

Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from the French Open. This comes after the dispute with her avoiding press conferences. The young athlete stated that she was experiencing anxiety and depression. Faced with a fine and possible suspension, this brings into question why there are media obligations for athletes. Osaka has made a statement that she will be taking some time away from tennis. Being a competitive athlete can cause intense pressure on an individual. Naomi Osaka also expressed doing press conferences made her nervous. The WTA claims they are investing in mental health resources for athletes. Apparently, it falls short. Osaka also faces a $15,000 fine for appearing in a post game press conference. Maybe the fine  could be challenged  in court. A very talented athlete is facing some mental health challenges. It is not certain when she will return to professional tennis. Her struggle reveals that even when a person is  successful, depression can still happen. Osaka expressed that she wanted to have a conversation with WTA officials about how best to improve the conditions for athletes. 

The Women's Tour de France Has Been Confirmed For 2022

 

Women will have another opportunity for sports competition. Women can compete in their own Tour de France in 2022. The announcement was made by Christian Prudhomme. As director of the Tour de France he stated that it will follow the men's race, but exact dates have not been confirmed. The official name of the competition for women will be called Tour de France Femmes. There are other cycling competitions for women. La Course by Le Tour de France is an Amaury Sport Organization event. Women have been working to get an equal platform in professional cycling. This is not the first time an female division came into existence. Between 1984 to 1989 the Tour de France Feminin   was held. The contest was held at various times and under different names, but was sporadic. Now there will be a cycling competition for women held on a consistent and regular schedule . Assuming that complications from the pandemic do not cause problems, the competition is happening. This is positive news for women's sports. The challenge now is investment and  promotion. Previous races failed, because they were not given the financial backing and advertisement required to survive. There is no shortage of  athletes with talent. La Course by Le Tour de France will still be held so athletes have options in which race they want to compete in. Despite Prudhomme's questionable comments about women's  cycling, he made the right decision. Female cyclists now have a stage to show their skills.