World Mental Health Day: First-of-its kind Mind Zone praised by athletes at Paris 2024
Among the mental health and wellbeing initiatives put in place at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 this summer, the new Mind Zone proved a hit, with 92 per cent of the athletes and entourage members who visited the space satisfied.
Mindfulness has been found to reduce anxiety while increasing concentration, resilience and competition readiness. The Mind Zone was designed with the aim of giving the athletes a place within the Olympic Village where they could disconnect and decompress. The location, on the first floor of the fitness centre, served to reinforce the IOC's message that mental and physical health are two sides of the same coin.
Reflecting on my visit to the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Mind Zone was one of the most inspiring initiatives I encountered. I was so impressed to see a dedicated space where athletes could focus on their mental wellbeing, which is vital to both their competition preparation and their overall health. On World Mental Health Day, I commend the IOC for their commitment to prioritising and promoting mental health, and urge more organisations to follow this example.
Thousands of users from 148 countries
Delivered in partnership with Worldwide Olympic Partner Coca-Cola through its Powerade brand, the Mind Zone featured a bespoke, immersive virtual reality (VR) mindfulness experience, which took place in disconnection pods and encouraged athletes to try calming breathing and visualisation exercises, even taking them past the Eiffel Tower and inside the Olympic Stadium. During the Games, users from 148 countries completed more than 2,300 VR sessions.
"For me personally, I love the Mind Zone; it’s mind-blowing," said Mexican archer Ana Vázquez during the Games. "[The VR experience is] just amazing; I cried the first time I did it, and I have been there a lot of times since then because I want to rest well and get ready for the competition."
The space also offered athletes a quiet and tranquil environment to reset and try activities such as painting, yoga and postcard writing.
An IOC team was on site to guide athletes through the activities and engage in confidential chats when needed. Critical to the success of the initiative was ensuring that the Mind Zone was fully embedded with further measures, carefully designed through a Safeguarding and Mental Health Emergency Action Plan, to ensure that any athletes who needed further support had multiple pathways to access it. Trained psychologists and psychiatrists were also available.
The Mind Zone was part of the most comprehensive package of mental health services ever provided to athletes at the Olympic Games.