For athletes, the voices of fans and members of the general public can be forms of encouragement or pressure, but sometimes, they can cause mental anguish.
On the internet, anyone can post personal opinions and communicate with people around the world. Social media has been viewed as an appealing way for athletes to show their true selves and thoughts whenever they choose, without having to go through conventional media.
However, during the Tokyo Olympics, the negative side of such social media was evident.
Jun Mizutani received abusive messages via his Twitter account immediately after winning gold in the final of the table tennis mixed doubles event. Direct messages containing words such as "die" and "scum" flooded in from users, some of whom are believed to be based overseas.
Many Japanese and foreign Olympians reportedly received abusive messages via social media.
"High-profile athletes are prone to abuse. During the Olympics, when news coverage is concentrated, abuse is also likely to be concentrated," said lawyer Kazuya Tanaka, who is an expert on internet abuse. "It is also common during international sports for athletes to receive abusive comments from overseas," he said.
Kirsty Coventry, chairperson of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission, said the IOC stands on the side of athletes regarding the issue.
According to Coventry, around-the-clock hotlines were available in the athletes village so that Olympians could consult with experts and they will be able to receive counseling up to six times free of charge for up to three months after the Games.
The Japanese Olympic Committee monitors and records abuse of Japanese athletes, and its policy is to report abuse to the police in serious cases.
Mai Murakami, who won a bronze medal in the women's floor exercise final of the artistic gymnastics event, shed tears during an interview after finishing fifth in the individual all-around event. The reason for the tears was not that she missed out on a medal. It was because of social media posts attacking her and criticizing the holding of the Tokyo Games.
"Opinions are clearly divided regarding the novel coronavirus crisis. I know there are people who are opposed to the Olympics, and there are others who support me. I feel like it's difficult for athletes to post things," she said.
An increasing number of people suffering from stress amid prolonged calls for self-restraint during the pandemic could be behind the surge in social media abuse, according to Tanaka.
Nevertheless, unfairly attacking athletes is unforgivable.
As spectators were banned from most Olympic events and fans from overseas were absent due to the pandemic, social media was expected to help people connect at the Tokyo Games.
Some aspects were effective, such as enabling fans to remotely cheer on athletes during events.
However, abuse of Olympians, which runs counter to the Olympic principle of putting "athletes first," was prevalent.
The IOC and relevant sports organizations must urgently tackle the challenge of how to protect athletes.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
