It's sad that our source of entertainment is someone else's source of pain, and many of us do not have an idea or care about things athletes go through during and after their career. Sometimes, I ask if sportsmen and women don't value their well-being because, despite what's happening to athletes in different contact sports, these guys still give their 100% dedication to their profession.
Aside from how lucrative these sports are, I understand the love and passion many of them have towards these sports. They get bullied by their fans, struggle with racism, and even suffer from life-threatening injuries, but still, we see them coming back stronger to entertain us.
We definitely can't condemn them for having dreams, and I believe that the best way to support them in exchange for the smile they put on our faces is to make their well-being a priority. I know this is beyond us as fans since there are different governing bodies associated with different sports and they make the rules, but we are not completely left out because we are the wealth and life of every sport. As fans, we have our strength and can stand on whatever decisions we make, but are we doing that? Many of us even enjoy seeing these athletes bleed tears and blood; we want to see these things, not minding what it means to those athletes.
The sports governing bodies and sponsors aren't helping matters as well. They see these things but overlook them and won't do anything about it just because of how much they are making from these sports. While the fans are just about the thrills and excitement of these sports, there are people who are concerned about money, which is unfair if we are being sincere.
This reminds me of a movie I watched some years ago, titled "Concussion," and it opened my eyes to the greed in many sports. A doctor uncovered the cause of NFl players suffering from CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), but no one was ready to listen all because of the gains. The NFL governing body discredited his research just to protect their interests at the expense of the players wellbeing.
Meanwhile, it wouldn't cost anything to create a law against helmet collisions, and that way, we can protect these players from immediate or future health struggles.
I feel terrible watching these things, and it's one of the reasons why you won't find me watching boxing, kickboxing, rugby, and others. I feel li
ke the laws of these sports need to be tightened up for the well-being of the athletes. Rules can be changed, advanced safety protocols can be implemented, and many other things can be done but they are not happening.
We have seen the aftermath of many boxers that ended up being paralyzed, while some have to live with Parkinson for the rest of their lives, and people forget about them after some time because there is someone else who is giving them the action they want.
Things definitely can't continue like this—athletes wellbeing from the training down to the big stage needs to become a priority to those who are in charge. Prioritizing them shouldn't even stop after retirement because when these illnesses start, they exhaust everything they have earned from entertaining us. They become broke and end up still losing the battle to these illnesses.
It's terrible, and we can't understand because we were never in their shoes. I believe a lot of adjustments need to be made, even though it would be at the detriment of those who are obsessed with just making profit. In the long run, it will be a win-win situation for everyone, but the athlete's wellbeing should be what matters most.