August 3 – FIFA has launched a campaign focusing on “raising awareness of the symptoms of mental conditions”. The #ReachOut campaign, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), aims to encourage individuals in football to seek help when they need it.
“This campaign is very important in raising awareness of mental health status,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino in a statement. “We want to encourage people to have a conversation that could potentially save a life.”
Teresa Enke, wife of former German goalkeeper Robert Enke, is also involved in the campaign. Robert Enke committed suicide in 2009 after a severe depression.
Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi said: “Mental health and well-being are just as important as physical health and safety. Under the Chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam, ASEAN is taking steps to advance cooperation with external partners on mental health, in order to provide the ASEAN Community with the necessary and appropriate mental health and psychosocial support services.”
The subject has recently come to the fore through public statements by global sport stars Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles.
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