VUB Professor Paul Wylleman on 'the mental load' of Olympic athletes

No fewer than 165 athletes, including 11 from VUB, are representing Belgium at the Olympic Games in Paris. For each of them, this is an immense physical and mental challenge. VUB professor Paul Wylleman is one of the leading members of the Welfare Team, which assists the Belgian Olympians in coping with the pressure to perform. “It is gratifying that our university can contribute something tangible and practical in this area,” he says. “Not only through our support for the Olympic team but also through our research and the guidance we have provided to student athletes since 1987.”

How do you approach the mental preparation for the Olympic Games?

“From a minimalist perspective, one could argue that the Olympic Games are no different from other competitions. Once you step onto the competition arena – whether it’s the judo mat, the pool, the track or the race course – you clearly recognise what you need to do, and years of trained automation kicks in. 

“However, from a broader viewpoint, you are competing against the world’s best athletes, which is not always the case at, for example, a European Championship. From an even wider perspective, you become part of a unique Olympic team alongside athletes and teams from other sports, something that only occurs every four years, under global scrutiny, with the extraordinary value attached to an Olympic medal. 

“What makes the Paris Games particularly special – much like the London 2012 Olympics – is that they are, figuratively speaking, in our own backyard. These factors can be perceived by athletes, teams and coaches as either a burden or a support.

“You are competing against the best athletes in the world, which is not always the case at a European Championship”

“It is important during the preparation to discuss the potential impact of these factors. Athletes and teams must learn how to manage them, and have the necessary guidance from experts before, during and after the Games. It is crucial that these experts have experience in supporting athletes, teams and coaches at both the world and Olympic levels. Team Belgium works with a team of experts in various fields, including medicine, nutrition, physiology, biomechanics, technology, physiotherapy and psychology.

“During the Games, my colleagues and I in the Welfare Team provide mental support to athletes, teams, coaches and staff. And, perhaps surprisingly, we also talk to athletes in the pre-Games period about how they can plan and approach the post-Games period. This often gives them a stronger sense of control and mental calm, helping them to deliver their best performance.”

How do we compare to other countries in this regard?

“With support from organisations such as Sport Vlaanderen and ADEPS, Team Belgium has been able to establish a strong foundation for preparing and supporting our Olympic team in Paris. We are definitely approaching the level of other top sporting nations. It is also gratifying that our university can make a concrete and practical contribution in this area, not only through our support for the Olympic team but also through the research and guidance we have provided to student athletes since 1987. For me personally, it is always a joy to see our elite sports students perform at the Games as part of Team Belgium. At that point, it’s no longer ‘Good morning, Professor’ but ‘Hey Paul’!”

How do athletes experience the immense mental pressure, and to what extent does this influence their performance at decisive moments?

“That pressure certainly exists. It stems from their own expectations, as well as from their entourage, and of course from the media and the public. Before competing in the Olympics, most athletes have already had a lengthy sporting career in which they have learned to handle pressure, for instance, at European and World Championships. Some athletes do not necessarily see this pressure as a burden but as a signal that they are mentally and physically preparing for their next performance.

“However, there are also athletes who have not yet mastered this and experience pressure as a clear form of stress. From a sports psychology perspective, we can offer them certain techniques to reduce this stress to a manageable level of performance pressure. These might include traditional breathing and muscle relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring to create a stronger sense of control, social support to alleviate stress, or cognitive techniques to change their perception and emotional response to pressure.

“Stress affects physical performance, sleep quality, eating habits, interactions with others and the ability to study as an elite athlete”

“Of course, we want athletes to learn these skills from a young age. We will work with Sport Vlaanderen to offer a developmental pathway for ‘mental competencies’. This will allow coaches to equip their athletes with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes over several years, so they can develop optimally, enhance their well-being and maximise their performance. The role of sports psychologists is then to educate coaches and support them with specific challenges in an athlete’s development.

“This approach is based on the holistic development model that we have developed at the VUB, which is also used internationally. My experience with this model in the Netherlands shows that athletes develop competencies that they can apply not only in sport but also in other contexts, such as at school, at home or with friends. And since pressure and stress have multiple causes and effects, we must embed this approach in an interdisciplinary support structure. Consider, for example, how pressure and stress impact physical performance, sleep quality, eating habits, interactions with those around you or studying as an elite athlete.”

Has mental well-being in sport gained more importance?

“I built my experience and approach with the Dutch Olympic team during the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. I was the sole team psychologist responsible for on-site psychological support. In Belgium, alumnus Jef Brouwers has been working as a clinical sports psychologist with Team Belgium since the London 2012 Olympics, and alumna Ellen Schouppe joined as a sports psychologist for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“There was certainly already attention being paid to the mental well-being of our athletes. Compared to the previous two Games, we can now integrate multiple experts in a structured manner and deploy them within Team Belgium. Moreover, there is now targeted attention to issues such as misconduct and abuse. Alongside the expertise of our psychologists, this represents a significant step forward.”

What gives you satisfaction, personally?

“The challenge remains that the concept of well-being is still interpreted in different ways. I am therefore pleased that, through my international network, I can work with colleagues to optimise this support. For instance, we have organised meetings on welfare and safeguarding with colleagues from the US, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, the Netherlands and France. While there are still differences in approach, we identify the same key action points. Within this international collaboration, we also discuss joint research or publications on well-being.”