The psychological toll on Malaysia's top athletes

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: National athletes may be admired for their prowess and skills, but not many are aware of the psychological toll of elite competition on them.
Recently, badminton ace Lee Zii Jia uploaded cryptic photos on his Instagram page, which featured a series of black-and-white illustrations without captions, leaving fans concerned and speculating about his mental state.
This even led to the National Sports Council contacting Zii Jia's management team to check on his health. The council subsequently said Zii Jia is not in distress.
But this has not stopped badminton fans from continuing to speculate on Zii Jia's condition and whether the Olympic bronze medallist is fighting his inner demons. And yesterday Zii Jia unexpected announced he was withdrawing from the Japan Open.
Timesport spoke to sports psychologist Muhammad Deen yesterday on the mental health issues facing Malaysian athletes.
Muhammad believes mental health challenges are becoming more serious among athletes in Malaysia and beyond due to the constant demands on their bodies and minds.
"Athletes deal with far more stress than the general public," Muhammad said.
"Imagine pushing your body to the limit every day, travelling often, being away from home, and dealing with the humiliation of public defeat — it's mentally exhausting."
Muhammad, who was previously with the National Sports Institute (NSI), said issues such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress are becoming more common in high-performance sports.
"They go through repeated cycles of pressure and emotional highs and lows. It's not easy to live like that."
He added that while social media can be a source of encouragement and opportunities, it also exposes athletes to criticism and online abuse.
"Sometimes it's great — all the support, likes, comments, even sponsorships. But when the negative comments start coming in, it can be overwhelming," he said.
"When you lose and your phone floods with notifications, it becomes a heavy burden."
To protect their mental health, Muhammad said athletes should focus on three key areas: inner strength, a strong support system, and professional guidance.
"The first is internal resilience. No one is forced into being an athlete — it's a choice. So they need to build the strength to face those demands.
"Second, they need a tight and loyal support group. That could be friends, family or members of the sports science team — people who understand and support them.
"Lastly, they must seek professional help when needed. A trained sports psychologist who understands mental health can help athletes manage specific challenges they face."
Muhammad said Malaysia does have mental health professionals in sport, but the challenge lies in accessibility.
"There is support available — but is it accessible? That's the real issue.
"Psychologists need to be embedded in the team structure, not brought in only during a crisis."
He believes that if athletes have regular access to mental health professionals across all levels — from grassroots to national squads — the future looks promising.
"If we get this right, we'll have a healthier, stronger, more resilient generation of athletes," said Muhammad.