Simone Manuel calls on media to back down after disappointing Olympic athletes’ results

American swimmer Simone Manuel overcame burnout and depression to win her fifth career medal at the Tokyo Olympics. But she can’t forget that journalists immediately run up against contenders struggling at the Games.

“Please stop questioning athletes right after a disappointing performance before they have time to process anything,” Manuel wrote on Twitter on Friday. “Trust me. They gave it their all. Nothing other people need to know at that time.

Manuel herself suffered the blow of not qualifying for the final in the 50-meter freestyle in Tokyo. But she won a bronze medal in the US 4×100 relay to add to a formidable collection of Olympic gear: a gold in 2016 in the 100-meter freestyle as she became the first black woman to win an event. individual swimming at the Summer Games; a silver medal in the 50, and a gold and silver medal in two relays in Rio.

Manuel’s comment widened the dialogue about the role of the media after tennis star Naomi Osaka refused to make press appearances at Roland Garros to protect her sanity. She reappeared at the Olympics two months later and said the pressure “was a bit high” after her loss in the third round.

First gymnast Simone Biles, who revealed she was affected by mental health issues at this year’s Olympics, has come under intense scrutiny after dropping out of several events in Tokyo before winning a medal of bronze at the beam. Although Biles has received a wave of support, British TV personality Piers Morgan has said that athletes like her make it heroic to “quit”.