News

Today marks six years since the Professional Players Federation, the Sport and Recreation Alliance, and Mind launched the Mental Health Charter for Sport and Recreation to actively challenge the stigma around mental health in the sporting world and promote positive mental health.

Since 2015, more than 450 signatories have pledged their support for the Charter, with each one committing to taking direct action to help make sport and physical activity across the country more mental health friendly.

As the recreational sport sector prepares to reopen once more, we are reminded of the potential for sport and recreation to help tackle many of the pressures people from all walks of life face, particularly those that have developed and been exacerbated over the past 12 months.

Whilst professional sport has already returned, the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of professional sportspeople has been significant and the Player Associations continue to play an important role in supporting players and their families in facing such challenging times.

To celebrate the Charter’s sixth birthday, we asked our signatories to tell us more about the progress they’ve made in this area since joining the movement, the effects of the pandemic on their sport and its participants and their hopes and vision for mental health in the sector in the next five years.

Hear from England Athletics, the Karate Union of Great Britain, Swim England, WPBSA Players and many more in the following videos.

Some examples of work that player associations have done can be found in the following PPF video:

If you are interested in signing-up to the Charter or would like further information, please visit the Mental Health Charter webpage.