INTERVIEW – Clinical sports psychologist and Insep speaker Elise Ankaert tells us about the Holy Grail of an athlete’s life, the shock wave of losing an athlete at the Olympics.
Since the beginning of these Olympic Games in Paris, we remember the immense joy of the victorious athletes and sometimes the sorrow of the losers. On this topic, we will recall the horrific images of Japanese judo legend Uta Abe’s loss on Sunday, July 28, in the 16th round of the 52kg category against Uzbek judoka Diyora Keldiyorova (since then gold medalist). After Ipponing her opponent, the 24-year-old Olympic champion, undefeated since 2019, is stunned. At the feet of the referee, who is waiting for him to choose the winner of the fight, he even struggles to get up under the weight of the shock. Devastated, she leaves the tatami and collapses, crying and screaming, into her trainer’s arms. And what can be said about the unexpected defeat of two-time Olympic champion Claris Agbegnenu in the judo semi-finals, who only had a gold eye and had to settle for bronze.
How do we handle failure when everyone else is waiting for us? How does an athlete feel disillusioned, disappointed, and down, sometimes after years of sacrifice and physical and mental training? Elise Ankaert, clinical sports psychologist and speaker at the National Institute for Sport, Expertise and Performance (Insep), reflects on and analyzes the psychological trauma that defeat can cause in athletes.
Madame Figaro: What do the Olympics mean to athletes?
Elise Ankaert: Because they happen once every four years, they are a result, a form of grail, there is something of the order of holiness. For an athlete, they are often only once in a lifetime and therefore have a form of exclusivity that is even stronger than the World Championships. Not to mention that in 2024 they will take place in Paris, which is very promising for French athletes, but can also be synonymous with additional pressure.
Top athletes are programmed to push their limits and win. But are they ready to lose?
Yes, and for a simple reason: before arriving at the Olympic Games, the athlete follows the path marked by victories. And defeats. Add to this that psychology in sports is becoming more and more popular, and that many athletes undergo mental training. Psychological monitoring is now seen less as a weakness and more as a performance optimization in an environment that requires risk-taking. Taking this two-way and uncertain path requires total investment, and you have to work on the possibility of being disappointed either way. And for a good reason, the victory does not depend only on the athlete’s performance. in some disciplines, such as athletics or swimming, we sometimes see athletes miss the Olympic qualification by a few hundredths of a second. After that, you should be able to get up and keep going. Athletes face very high pressures, demands and workloads. You must be able to anticipate adaptation strategies in the event of defeat. We then work on the athlete’s state of mind, developing both positivity and resilience. There is no other way to stay on top than to get back on your feet.
” data-script=”https://static.lefigaro.fr/widget-video/short-ttl/video/index.js” >
What do you mean by coping strategies?
Psychologically, needs vary depending on the sport and the repetition of the competition. Generally, emotional regulation strategies are employed to be able to mentally accept the competition, whether win or lose, to go higher. Even with victory, some athletes sometimes have depressive episodes because the emotional burden is intense and they need to be able to recover. There are also various techniques, such as visualization, meditation or even breathing, which provide the necessary psychological safety. After all, the environment of the athlete plays a significant role, be it the staff or the close circle. You need to know how to maintain your private and intimate life.
Some people experience depressive states, no longer find meaning in what they do, lose self-esteem
Élise Anckaert, Clinical Sports Psychologist
Psychologically, what can happen in case of defeat?
Some people experience depressive states, no longer find meaning in what they do, and lose self-esteem. Self-image and body image are also at stake here. Defeat is a psychological trauma that can cause an athlete to waver, to fully commit, both physically and psychologically.
What emotions can an athlete go through?
There are many: disappointment, sadness or even anger. As in mourning, after all. An athlete can also see defeat as an injustice, so we have to make sense of it. Some therapeutic methods initially allow you to “get out” of the traumatic shock of defeat. These methods, these levers, which will allow the athlete to stand back, are specific to everyone. They depend on how he treats defeat, what he expects from himself. Defeat doesn’t leave the same mark depending on the stakes. Losing a few hundredths of a second in Olympic qualifying isn’t the same as it is in less important events. In this case, the most important thing is the athlete’s belief and commitment to what he is doing, but also working on his flexibility to develop extremely strong intentions that last over time.
Source: Le Figaro
