Amid the resurgence of major sporting events following the COVID crisis, a fascinating dilemma raises its head as Naomi Osaka, the highest paid female athlete in history, refuses to attend press conferences in order to protect her mental health! This could be an ethical minefield and it would appear that while there is limited sympathy from fellow players and fans, the majority of opinion is stacked against her. Personally, I believe that her argument is without merit and here are the reasons why.
Firstly, Naomi has chosen a career path where the higher the level of success, the greater the media scrutiny. This is one of the trade-offs that every great athlete of our time has had to deal with. It is one of the unavoidable responsibilities that comes with fame and fortune and is accepted as a sometimes unpleasant but compulsory part of the profession.
Secondly, it is media exposure in its various forms which creates the stratospheric product endorsement fees and tournament prize funds which are competed for today. Limited media access to the superstars will result in a gradual eroding of their own earning potential.
Thirdly, being one of the highest earning athlete’s on the planet comes with the guaranteed benefit of a top management team. Managing her appearances would be high on their list of responsibilities, as would managing her mental health. She has the mental toughness to triumph in major championships and needs to transfer this to the way in which she manages her press appearances.
Being one of the highest earning athlete’s on the planet offers her the opportunity to continually build her personal brand and enhance her commercial value. Her Nike contract is worth in excess of $10million per annum and her combined earnings for 2020 was $37.4 million – Forbes magazine)
It is her management team, sponsors, tournament promoters and tennis professionals who must help the athlete to adjust her thinking. It is not possible for her to receive preferential treatment while her fellow pros continue to observe their media obligations which is where, after all, the paying public get an insight into these characters of the game.
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