[Closed] Naomi Osaka withdrawing from French Open

That's disappointing - but understandable.
She was clear about her views and provided a sound explanation for them.
The tournament organisers have behaved poorly in failing to accommodate her legitimate and valid concerns.

French bureaucracy at its finest

Well if she has mental health issues (not saying she hasn’t) then maybe being in the media spot light is not the best therapy. These sporting events rely on income from the media circus that surrounds them, as does the athletes Sponsors and the significant team that supports them all of which require a decent salary to be paid. It’s as important as the sport itself so to separate the two is impossible and if you are not prepared to do both then you have no value to the organisation. Sounds like she needs to focus on bigger things than her tennis career. Hopefully she’ll deal with her mental health issues properly and come back a better player and a healthier person. Avoiding any issue you have in life is never the best approach.

Not surprisingly unilaterally deciding to sack off half your job and getting an advantage over fellow pros has consequences.

Symptom of sport becoming media driven. A sportsman/woman is as much a brand as an athlete. Seems a shame that we must be overlooking talent because they can't face the brand exposure element.

For every 100 of these media interviews how much useful info and usable footage is generated? They are tedious in the extreme. Has anyone ever turned the telly on to watch one? Has any marketing bod ever wanted their brand associated with a knackered monosyllabic person with minimal charisma, because that's not the quality that made them well known. The very personality traits that make them amazing a hitting balls are the very traits that make them deathly dull in conversation. Especially in solo sports. Clearly there are exceptions to the rule but it appears to me these dreadful media interviews, normally with the most turgid of journos asking banal questions are a waste of everyone's time, not least the viewer.

Prioritising that waste of time over the health of a leading player asking not to have to do it feels bizarre.

Plenty of ways to build brand without the charade of post match / in tournament media interviews. So I doubt her sponsors will be too bothered. (Any good sponsor and media company would be able to use this positively. It’s about the tournament organiser and their sponsors and their combined ego.

Sadly I have very little sympathy with her. As an elite level athlete, part of her 'job' is dealing with the media. It is the same for all elite level athletes. Of course tennis is tougher because it is not a team sport. In addition she has signed contacts with her sponsors which will require her to be in front of the media. She was the highest paid female athlete in the world, some reckon the 5th paid best sports person.

As part of entry to the competition she is aware, it states the post-match commitments - and the fines that can be imposed for missing these commitments. If she does not want to to the media, then don't enter.

If her mental health is not strong enough to cope, the is is strong enough to play tennis at the top level? Perhaps she shouldn't be playing until she can cope. But then her sponsors would not be happy.

She can't choose what she wants to do. Every single other competitor knows what is involved and has signed up to it.

She is an outstanding tennis player - but at the level she plays at, that is not enough.

The fine was pretty modest compared with what Wimbledon hands out for simply not trying hard enough:
https://www.gq.com.au/fitness/sport/the-biggest-fines-and-their-reasons-in-the-history-of-wimbledon/image-gallery/b4b4b92a222bd1efca94f3def755b0a5

When you enter a compettion you know the rules and the consequences of breaking them, on and off court. If you don't like the rules then don't enter.

I only had to look at the pseudos of the contributor to this thread to predict what their contributions would be.

Well, I think being a tennis genius doesn't protect you from mental health issues, and if she says she suffers from extreme anxiety before press conferences, who are we to argue. As others have said, the press conferences are usually a waste of everyone's time. It'll be interesting to see how her sponsors react...I would hope they'll be supportive.

I can agree with both sides...clearly I've never amounted to much so don't have this issue first hand.

The way she has gone about it, I've very little sympathy as everyone being interviewed has to do the same, she seems to suggest she just doesn't want to chat if/when she loses and doesn't want to chat about stuff that isn't just about her winning (understandable)...but at the level she is playing at, she has little choice as it seems to be contractually obligated. Hopefully the mental health issues can be resolved, but it won't be an overnight thing...will take time and support.

At the same time, the organisation's appear to be giving a consistent reasoning which doesn't come across as looking to support the players, so instantly I can see why she has taken a stand.

You'd hope more would do the same but suspect the harsh reality of sponsorship means they can't be as picky as we think - no sponsorship, no money or support so everything suffers.

Not looking good for either side, but as someone up there has said...it seems to be a media spectacle now which is why they are so entwined in contracts, etc.

Part of being an elite athlete is coping with stress, not losing your ability under pressure. Some athletes would no doubt perform better with no crowed but they don't have the right to play to empty stands.

It's not just Tennis, some musicians and singers fail to perform under pressure. Or any other field which puts people in front of an audience, some cope well others less so. Trying to claim shyness is a mental illness is taking things a bit far IMO.

Fair play to her. She's put the debate out there now. Things will start to change.

I think confusing shyness with "getting huge waves of anxiety" is taking things a bit far IMO

I don't think she is treated the same as all the other athletes tho' as she's a woman, and not white, so she gets some absolutely ridiculous questions that would never be asked of other players. So maybe training for the journalists would be a good start.

I can agree with both sides

I also find myself on the fence on this one. If she has a genuine issue, then she needs understanding, support and help. Not sure she's gone about it in the right way though.

I only had to look at the pseudos of the contributor to this thread to predict what their contributions would be.

Please stop doing this. It's snide and makes you sound like a tinfoil hat wearing kid running to tell teacher. If you think someone is breaking the forum rules sack up and report it.

Trying to claim shyness is a mental illness is taking things a bit far IMO.

Please stop doing this too. Crippling anxiety and shyness are different things. Shyness has absolutely nothing to do with performance anxiety. Conflating them is incredibly insulting to anyone who has the former, or knows someone who does.

French bureaucracy at its finest

All 4 grand slams have threatened to block her

Symptom of sport becoming media driven

Seriously! Name a time when sport hasn’t been media driven. Ancient Greeks. Roman colliseium. Olympics. It’s nothing but a media driven enterprise and never had been anything else. Want the big bucks to play tennis for a living and travel the world? You ain’t doing that by just bashing a ball about.

Please stop doing this. It’s snide and makes you sound like a tinfoil hat wearing kid running to tell teacher. If you think someone is breaking the forum rules sack up and report it.

No thank you, casual xenophobia I'll just call out in the thread and reserve reporting for when it steps over the line to racism.

Reading through the thread I'm not the only to find that some have decided it's a nationalistic issue rather than sporting, and decided to slag off a nation rather than debate the merits of abusing ones position to try to bend rules in ones favour.

Sleep tight.

Obviously most of the pros hate doing the press conferences, and I'm guessing the tournament organisers are trying to hold the line to stop more of them giving them a swerve, with legitimate reasons or otherwise, and as far as they're concerned, those with genuine anxiety issues around them should just shut up about it.

FWIW I also think they add nothing to the media content, it's just a another chance for the stars to be photographed next to a Perrier logo, or whatever.

Not sure she’s gone about it in the right way though.

The way I understand it from what I have read is that the Tennis organisations haven’t listened and she has done all that she feels is left for her.

Shes the nick diaz of womens tennis..

As an elite level athlete, part of her ‘job’ is dealing with the media.

Is it? Why?

It is the same for all elite level athletes.

Is it? Surely there's lots of sports where the media circus is minimal even at the very top of the game?

If she does not want to to the media, then don’t enter.

But why? what if she just wants to play tennis at the very highest level?

If her mental health is not strong enough to cope, the is is strong enough to play tennis at the top level? Perhaps she shouldn’t be playing until she can cope.

It would seem she's rather good at hitting a ball so it doesn't seem to have an impact on her ability to do the sport at the very highest level.

She can’t choose what she wants to do.

She just did! Masters tennis is facing a dilemma - be seen to give into the players or don't have the very best player(s) in your competition. When the prize money is so high she's not exactly under financial pressure to keep competing to pay her electricity bill. On the other hand if the Masters only have the "2nd best" players because the best players take their winnings and say stuff the media circus after the first year or two they'll soon start to suffer...

She is an outstanding tennis player – but at the level she plays at, that is not enough.

Really - what has she ever said in an interview that made any difference to your perception of her abilities? or for that matter anyone else in a tennis press conference?

I don't get the whole 'it's just part of the job' attitude some folk have. If there's a part of your job that's damaging to your health then you should absolutely have the right to fix that. If you think anxiety isn't a health issue then you're quite simply lucky enough to have no experience of it.

There's a surprising amount of 'suck it up' media apologism on here. She's a sports person - media is a tiny part of her job compared to training for and winning tennis matches, the media might bitch and moan about how important they are, they might coerce governing bodies into punishing her, but her concerns are valid and should be addressed, not dismissed. Is disappoint.

She's a sportswoman, not a media presenter. She should be able to choose, without prejudice, whether to talk to the press or not after a match. If her sponsors don't like the path she chooses then they have an obvious option. Not sure the tournament organisers or the governing body can find a winning position if they try to force her to do otherwise.

The whole 'it's part of the job' approach is nothing more than shoulder shrugging and saying 'meh', which isn't helpful - just because something is doesn't mean it should be.

FWIW, I think this will play out in her favour (both emotionally and financially) in the end.

the media is a massive part of the job for a sportsman/woman, without it they don't get the covarage so much less money in the sport from sponsers/tv. 99% are perfectly happy doing it, the rest need to stop moaning and get on with doing it or don't compete. there choice but they can't have it both ways.

I've watched some of her press junket interviews on you tube and she is absolutely brilliant, responding to some of the stupid questions in the most imaginative, almost Monty pythonesque way. I also recall a certain racing driver kick back against the junket format a couple of years back......Seems like these sportspeople are getting above themselves..

I can see a court case where the right to ban an athlete unless they accord to media commitments will be challenged. An athlete's right to remain silent might be seen as a human right. The exreme scrutiny that athletes are put under is now under question and could be seen in parallel to other issues around press intrusion.

I'm a little bit caught by this. In one way yes it is part of the deal and she should accept it. In other ways maybe she is right to say it has gone too far.  When you have tour de France GC riders who will avoid winning stages early on to then have no media obligations and be able to get to the bus faster for more rest the obligations start to get in the way of the sport.  Maybe it's time to reexamine the balance of power between athletes and competition owners if the actual competition is no longer the most important part

"the rest need to stop moaning and get on with doing it"

Shut up and dribble you mean?

No thank you, casual xenophobia I’ll just call out in the thread and reserve reporting for when it steps over the line to racism.

If that's what you were doing, fine. It isn't though.
You have a long history of insinuating people have multiple user names or have changed them. You say nothing about the content of their posts, you just leave the accusations dangling.

If you think a post is xenophobic, say so. That is far more adult than sneakily suggesting the user is fake/or using multiple accounts.

You forgot to apologise for your ignorant comments about mental health.

An athlete’s right to remain silent might be seen as a human right.

they sign that right away when they sign sponership deals and enter competition

They aren't forced to sign lucrative sponsorship deals, believe it or not they do it through choice.

However, you are right about the second point. If they want to perform in any major tournament they are forced to sign up to media duties, wether they want to or not and wether or not they feel doing so is conducive to their mental health.

I think you'll find that this is the issue she is raising.

Do you really think her sponsors are angry that she doesn't want to perform at a press junket? By actually standing up for herself and daring to have an opinion on something she has only made her 'brand' more valuable (wether intentional or not).

The phrase 'brand values' comes to mind. In this instance, Naomi Osaka has demonstrated that she has 'values' whilst the tournament organisers have demonstrated that they don't.

Feel for her.
I'd happily take watching sport without all the forced post match interviews.
Hope Wimbledon can take a lead and find way to let her play without the damaging media stuff.
I'd be more likely, not less, to watch.

That will be more of a challenge though as the big 4 competitions have grouped together with the approach taken, so all 4 are now backed into the same corner.

Removing herself has saved her more hassles and immediate issues with the competition. Hopefully all sides of this can now focus on fixing things with support for her; training for the media and a positive solution for the players by the organisers (who should benefit from that)...hopefully.

The irony is Osaka has shown real personality and has piqued huge interest in the women's game. It reminds me of when they fine Ronnie O'Sullivan for not playing Instagram bingo in the post-match interviews, despite him being the biggest draw for snooker and lining their pockets for years.

They are tedious in the extreme.

Agreed.

They can be good with someone who actually wants do them (to promote themselves), but someone pressed into doing one results in a painful experience for everyone… they shouldn’t bother.

Ofc course media is a massively important part of being a professional athlete (key thing here is professional, not just elite). Tournaments obviously think having media coverage of their events is important, both for general publicity but also for the benefit of the tournament sponsors. Why pay millions to sponsor a tournament if the press barely covers it (as they want press conferences as part of the deal in providing that coverage)?

It's an unfortunate situation for her (or anyone with mental health issues that are made worse by the process) and the type of questions asked in press conferences probably needs to be reviewed (although you then getting into murky ground of effectively censoring the media) but as long as the media considers them important then sponsors are going to consider them important and athletes need to meet sponsor obligations (either personal or tournament).

So, if you want to be Prime Minister, you can avoid any interview and any journalist you want during an election campaign… but to play at the highest level of tennis you must face live questioning from unfiltered journalists asking anything they want, even if you don’t feel up to it? It’s all a bit upside down this “media rules” thing.

I’m astounded by some people’s lack of sympathy and empathy of a mental health issue.

Anyone should have the right to perform to their highest level of ability in a environment free of anxiety. Not every environment can be specifically tailored to an individual, so therefore that person can and should take their own action to manage that for their own health. She’s selflessly done that denying herself opportunity to enjoy a sport she loves, recognition and reward for the sake of her health - that should be congratulated.

Her being forced into an environment she feels anxious about - forced post match interviews - in the same way I’ve been told to “get on a plane” by my employer. I try to manage the situation around me to achieve that and am often asked why it’s more difficult for me to fly for work than for holiday, which is a simple answer:

A) one is loaded with stress and anticipation of more stress (unknown yet condensed periods of work) in a foreign environment
B) the other has something totally awesome to look forward to in a stress free environment with people who empathise and can help me

It’s easy to see how she feels the Paris Open is environment a) and has taken action to remove herself from it.

I agree that a lot of these interviews are a tedious waste of everybody's time, but there seems to be a lot of posters not grasping this basic fact:

the media is a massive part of the job for a sportsman/woman, without it they don’t get the covarage so much less money in the sport from sponsers/tv.

It's all top level sports as well, even if the media hype is kept within their own bubble.

As ever, there's a sensible middle ground somewhere that protects the wellbeing of athletes and satisfies their paymasters, it just needs some work to find it.

As ever, there’s a sensible middle ground somewhere that protects the wellbeing of athletes and satisfies their paymasters, it just needs some work to find it

See Dennis Bergkamp.

this basic fact

I think everyone grasps that fact just fine.

I think everyone grasps that fact just fine.

it doesn't appear so though. Can you explain how ?

If they don't do interviews/media, there's nothing to watch/see/read/hear.... therefore less interest for sponsors, less money, less wages at the top and bottom end, less coverage and less, well everything.

Interviewing sports people is a thing, it's always been a thing.... you can't switch it off without consequences.

the media is a massive part of the job for a sportsman/woman

And the vast majority of media coverage is about what they do during the event itself, with a small and usually bland quote about something they said afterwards. In F1, one of the biggest "media circus surrounding an event" activities the single biggest team (Ferrari) just opted out of dealing with the media for an age. If they can do it, why can't a tennis player?

I expect their is a certain amount of the WTA/tournaments exerting their power and control.

Osaka has certainly brought more press attention than if she did the interviews. Whether that is positive or negative publicity (or whether it matters either way) depends on how it was/is handled by the governing bodies.

From what I have seen she hasn't got much solidarity from other players either. Maybe this is because they are afraid to talk out (they know which side their bread is buttered) or they simply dodn't agree with her stance.

The 'net' result (to me) is it comes across like bullying.

it doesn’t appear so though. Can you explain how ?

Well, you could insist all players appear for naked photos shoots, it might well increase the media attention and the money flowing. But then the best players might decide not to join in with that circus, resulting in a deterioration of the quality of competition, and a loss of interest in the events meaning less money flowing. Same with these involuntary media scrum events. They might currently be key in driving media interest and increasing the money in the higher levels of the sport, but that doesn't mean things can't or shouldn't change. The athletes might force it. They matter. It might become voluntary, and then the interviews limited to those who want to play that promotional game (who may or may not then become the bigger earners). That might move power (and money) from events to players, meaning the balance of revenue streams need looking at (smaller prizes?).

Well, you could insist all players appear for naked photos shoots, it might well increase the media attention and the money flowing

Now you're just being silly. You're supposed to be intelligent... have a try.

No, I'm making it clear that you can understand the media and financial implications behind these mandatory interviews without blindly insisting that someone who struggles with them should be made to do them. And also explain that there is balance to be struck, because stopping the best players from playing will also have media and financial implications.

If they don’t do interviews/media, there’s nothing to watch/see/read/hear….

apart from, the tennis...

therefore less interest for sponsors,

except we’ve already established that nobody finds tennis press conferences interesting so the sponsors should be asking how they get their name seen in the bits of the game people want to watch

less money, less wages at the top and bottom end, less coverage and less, well everything.

Perhaps she doesn’t think the French open really needs a top prize of >$2m

except we’ve already established that nobody finds tennis press conferences interesting so the sponsors should be asking how they get their name seen in the bits of the game people want to watch

We have ? Or you have ? I'm sure tennis fans find them interesting, in the same way cycling fans find the interviews after a rider wins or indeed loses interesting in the racing. Don't they ?

When the rider wants to play that game, and makes it interesting, yes.

If they don’t do interviews/media, there’s nothing to watch/see/read/hear…. therefore less interest for sponsors, less money, less wages at the top and bottom end, less coverage and less, well everything.

Interesting you think that. This article suggests, and for what it's worth I agree, that the press conference is redundant. The athletes already give people the new they need directly through social media, a few sound bites from a staged press conference are not important enough for the strain it puts on certain players. Players already manager their own news and can put out their messages as they see fit, they no longer need the press for it.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2021/may/31/were-not-the-good-guys-osaka-shows-up-problems-of-press-conferences

I want politicians put under this kind of unfiltered mandatory live press scrutiny. I really don't see why we should expect it from a top tennis player... they aren't going to be making life and death decisions on our behalf.

Who really gives a toss what players think anyway? aye, you'll always get good soundbites from Kyrgios, Novak etc, but if the lass struggles with anxiety or whatever, then it's not an issue for me, let someone else talk. Only folk that are moaning are the usual suspects that moan about equal prize money.

I noted this morning the guy from WTA (or whoever he was) read a statement but wouldn't take questions from the press.

Oh the irony.

I understand the contract that the players sign with he WTA includes media "duties" . So WTA are probably "entitled" to take measures as set out in the contract. I would say though that if a player complains that the pressure of that is making her mentally unwell, then now they're aware of it, they have a duty to take steps to reduce/accommodate that, and reduce the commitments for all the players. The optics don't really look good as Nobeer suggests.

The WTA used to have tabaco sponsorship in the '70's (Rothmans, I think) and the players were required to pose in adverts smoking, no-one thinks that's a good look now presumably?

We have ? Or you have ? I’m sure tennis fans find them interesting, in the same way cycling fans find the interviews after a rider wins or indeed loses interesting in the racing. Don’t they ?

I’m not sure I’d mourn the loss of seeing another guy in a branded baseball hat saying ’I want to thank my team we are taking the race day by day’.

Ofc course media is a massively important part of being a professional athlete (key thing here is professional, not just elite). Tournaments obviously think having media coverage of their events is important, both for general publicity but also for the benefit of the tournament sponsors. Why pay millions to sponsor a tournament if the press barely covers it (as they want press conferences as part of the deal in providing that coverage)?

This is the core of it. If you set out to be a public figure, you are pretty much offering yourself as a human sacrifice for the media. Sponsors and event promotors need media coverage to pay the athletes, so the athletes are expected to put on a show in the press conferences. Fans feel like they are owed access to their heroes. The press need clickbait headlines, so they're motivated to ask gotcha questions. There's nothing better for getting clicks online than video of a fallen superstar like Sebastian Vettel or Daniel Ricciardo getting grilled about why they are in a slump.

We have ? Or you have ? I’m sure tennis fans find them interesting, in the same way cycling fans find the interviews after a rider wins or indeed loses interesting in the racing. Don’t they ?

Do they? The only time I ever think there is anything interesting in a cycling, F1 or similar press conference is when there has been some horrible "incident" and they basically get asked "who's to blame". Given tennis doesn't even have such drama to discuss there's not much to say. I know some serious Tennis fans - travel from Scotland to Wimbledon every year, timed trips to France or Australia to watch tennis there, sort of people. They like watching people hit balls, I've watched tennis on TV with them and they sat and chatted over press conference bits. No doubt half the questions at the French Open will be about Osaka who isn't taking part!

Serious question - regardless of the sport, if there were no longer post-event press conferences, would it in any way effect your enjoyment of that sport?

Me neither.

Interesting that people argue that, by becoming a world-famous sports star, you're effectively then a puppet to dance for the media - I know that's how it is, but strongly feel that's not how it should be.

I know that’s how it is, but strongly feel that’s not how it should be.

This.

There are obvious benefits to the sport, the events, the sponsors, the fans, the casual watchers, and many of the players themselves, of engaging with the media. There are many ways to do this now though, and mandating that all athletes must play the game in the exact same way it's been played up to now might not actually be the best way forward. The events are in danger of losing a crowd-drawing player, and looking like dinosaurs with the younger fans and watchers whose attention they will need in future to keep thriving.

The serious fans aren't going to get very much from the average press conference because the questions are so banal, and usually have not very much to do with the actual tennis. That Guardian article linked above hits it right on the head.

I'd like to see some equivalent questioning of other sports.. Richie (Porte) - why can't you ride in a straight line for a couple of weeks? Bad parenting?
Frank (Lampard) - why are Chelsea so good now, and what did you do so wrong?

It’s not just Tennis, some musicians and singers fail to perform under pressure.

Every time I press record 🙂

if there were no longer post-event press conferences, would it in any way effect your enjoyment of that sport?

Nothing like watching a losing rugby team come off the field and spout the old favourites; game of two halves, better team on the day, the game's the winner, etc.

Serious question – regardless of the sport, if there were no longer post-event press conferences, would it in any way effect your enjoyment of that sport?

Me neither.

It would effect it positively as I would enjoy it more without them. 99% of them are painful, cliche bingo affairs. If a sports person is really into doing them and provides entertainment then fine go and do them and get a bit more money from your sponsors.

As someone who doesn't really follow professional tennis, do they need the sponsors to get access to compete in the grand slams? Or is it just the money to enter, travel etc.

I find it bizarre that you can be one of the best players in the world, and get removed because you won't talk to the media. And whoever wins it now will always be shadowed by 'were they the best at tennis?' (which I guess should really be the main point anyway....)

If they don’t do interviews/media, there’s nothing to watch/see/read/hear….

Excellent point - if you exclude the match itself, and the match reports, and the commentary, and all the post game analysis

Also this highlights the different expectations of team vs individual sports - people celebrate a footballer for 'staying out of the spotlight and focusing on his game' or a manager for 'protecting his players from the glare of the media'. Any football fan will have just seen half of social media praising e.g. Ngolo Kante for being such a humble guy who isn't interested in the media whirlwind. But a solo athlete has no such leeway, or they risk a ban.

The French Open have really made themselves look like a bunch of numpties with this one. And if it's all down to money/sponsorship/media attention, then holding a grand slam without the world's top players isn't a smart move either.

Also a note to those who think she should just suck it up and do what she's told: you're on the same side of this debate as Piers Morgan

The French Open have really made themselves look like a bunch of numpties with this one. And if it’s all down to money/sponsorship/media attention, then holding a grand slam without the world’s top players isn’t a smart move either.

Think this isn't quite right as it isn't just the French Open but all 4 of the Grand Slam groups - they've all teamed up for this statement so they are all looking rather poor.

you’re on the same side of this debate as Piers Morgan

fast become the modern day "Ann Widdcombe paradox" ie Whatever Ann thinks is right, most other folk will agree that the opposing view is more preferable/kinder etc.

I heard something the other month that has changed my thinking. It was related to age and how when people are growing up life is one big experiment. They make mistakes with their actions and their words, they don't have a fully formed identity yet. It's called growing up. The point being made was that people don't really know who they are until they are about 23. How old is Naomi Osaka out of interest?

Sportspeople are young, it comes with the job. That we put what are essentially children through a media grinder for our own entertainment is really weird when you think about it. We should feel embarrassed criticising some 20 year old athlete for something they said, did or didn't do. The psychological toll must be massive, and not only for the athletes but for society in general. Too much is asked and expected of young performers and I think it has a detrimental effect on younger fans (and some of the older fans on here).

To those who get anxious if they can't get their fix of inane and intrusive questions put to sportspeople I say get a life. Cancel your sky subscription or whatever but don't think that just because some kid is paid millions to kick or hit a ball that they should surrender their sanity and that it gives you a right to behave like a child.

One of the reasons the interviews are so boring is that the interviewees are often just kids growing up, they don't even know who they really are yet so they can't confidently answer the questions. They haven't thought out their own thoughts yet so become terrified of making a faux par.

If it's in her contract and she's unable to fulfill her contract, it seems fair enough that the organisation has excluded her. She wouldn't get a free pass to the second round if she couldn't play due to a wrist injury, why should any other health issue be treated differently?

There's certainly a reasonable argument for getting rid of the post-game press conference, but if all her rivals are forced to sit through them she'd be getting an unfair advantage if she can skip them.

 That we put what are essentially children through a media grinder for our own entertainment is really weird when you think about it.

Agreed, we do the same sorts of things with young (and mostly) female pop-stars and film stars as well. Commenting publicly about their figures, clothes ,who they're dating and on and on and on, and then are "astounded" when they crack-up which ironically sells more print and pictures...It's pretty disturbing.

We have ? Or you have ? I’m sure tennis fans find them interesting, in the same way cycling fans find the interviews after a rider wins or indeed loses interesting in the racing. Don’t they ?

100%. I find football and tennis interviews tedious, but I love watching the cycling ones. I guess perhaps just because I understand it better.

Even if you don't watch the press briefings / follow social media, you will probably recognise various personalities of athletes. All of that relies on athletes engaging with the outside world. Now perhaps that doesn't have to be in a formal press conference, but sport would be very dull if all we saw of sportspeople was their athletic performance.

fair enough that the organisation has excluded her

"Fair"... but perhaps the wrong move, for the events (and the sport) as well has her.

Also a note to those who think she should just suck it up and do what she’s told: you’re on the same side of this debate as Piers Morgan

Cold War Steve's take on that:

There’s certainly a reasonable argument for getting rid of the post-game press conference, but if all her rivals are forced to sit through them she’d be getting an unfair advantage if she can skip them.

That the position I think. Hopefully this will be a catalyst for positive change, and it's just a difficult bump on the road to the solution.

She's not the first to have issues with post match interviews, Marshawn Lynch (above) was vocal about his dislike of them and that players should look after their mental health.

I'm pretty sure most of us would struggle having our performance dissected by the media in person for an hour after a game.

Kelvin's point about the PM getting a free pass with regards coming under press scrutiny is a very important one.

The reason so much money is involved in sport is because media moguls like Mudoch and Berlusconi pumped money into the game so they could conflate the front and back pages of their newspapers and segue sports coverage on their TV channels with anti democratic political bile. The Fox media vampire was built on sports for example, and that network is doing it's best to destroy the world.

The last time in history that sport had such a huge economic and social impact on the world was at the end of the Roman Republic, when the will of the Senate was replaced by the will of the Emporor. When what little democracy there was was sacrificed at the alter of entertainment. They don't build Cathederals any more, they build football stadiums, modern day gladitorial Colluseums and we've got a box seat to the end of Western Civilisation as we know it. History is just repeating itself.

Bread and Circuses I tell ye, bread and Circuses.......

EDIT:

That should have read 'Fox Meda Empire', though it seems my spell check knows better when it suggests 'Fox Media Vampire'.