LEHTIKUVA / HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA – FINLAND OUT.
Prince William is calling on athletes to change sports culture into one that is positive and encouraging for mental health.
Earlier this week, the royal father attended a call-in roundtable discussion with a number of professional athletes alongside Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport.
Want exclusive Royals content (news, fashion, lists & more) delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Exclusive Fame10 Royals Email!
During the call, many athletes opened up about their experience with sports and mental health, which can often be a challenging one. The Duke of Cambridge emphasized the importance of having a culture that supports mental health across all sports, which is a focus of his Head’s Up mental health campaign, which has been promoted alongside soccer in the U.K. throughout the season.
“Through the Heads Up campaign, the football community has come together to do its part in driving lasting change by encouraging people to open up about their mental wellbeing, at the same time as embedding a mentally healthy culture across the sport,” William said.
“I believe that there is more we can do collectively to ensure this is replicated across all of sport. And that is why I am so happy to be here with you all to discuss how we can make that a reality,” he added.
“We have a unique opportunity to use the tragedy of the pandemic to bring about positive change. As the sporting world begins to return it is vital that we talk about the mental wellbeing of our sportspeople and fans.”