This archive report was first published on 22 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the sports world, two Kenyan sports psychologists, Kanyali Ilako and Rowena Tirop, are stepping in to offer free online therapy sessions to struggling sportsmen.
Ilako and Tirop, both holders of Masters in Sports Psychology, are providing the free sessions under the Brain Frees Consultancy, from May 25 to June 5.
“There is a notion that athletes do not have mental illness or should not be scared of the dangers of getting into mental illness. They are human as well,” Tirop said, emphasizing the importance of mental health in sports.
With extensive experience in sports psychology, Tirop has worked with the Kenya Rugby Union and collegiate teams in London, while Ilako has worked with Olympic swimmers in Finland and a League One football team in Greece.
The two believe that their expertise can help Kenyan sportsmen, who are struggling to maintain their mental well-being during this challenging time.
“Teams and Federations should take a keen interest in psychology. The mind plays a big role in everything an athlete does. It 100pc improves the performance of the players when they are strong mentally,” Tirop stated.
Ilako and Tirop's initiative aims to promote mental health awareness in sports and encourage teams and Federations to take psychology seriously.
