Naomi Osaka has been quite the force in tennis and also has been vocal in pushing for the protection of athletes’ mental health. Days prior, Osaka announced she would not be speaking to the press during the 2021 French Open. Osaka said, “I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athlete’s mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one." The player spoke on previous instances that led her to make her choice, saying, “We're often sat there and asked questions that we've been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I'm just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me."
As a result, Osaka was hit with a fine of $15,000 from the French Open, which issued a statement on the matter. The organization said, “We have advised Naomi Osaka that should she continue to ignore her media obligations during the tournament, she would be exposing herself to possible further Code of Conduct infringement consequences.”
They also addressed a possible suspension, saying, “As might be expected, repeat violations attract tougher sanctions including default from the tournament...and the trigger of a major offense investigation that could lead to more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions.” Stay tuned for more updates.
source: CBS
