Brazilian combat athletes face the postponement of the 2020 Olympics

Abstract

The objective of the study is to analyze the perceptions of Brazilian Olympic combat sports athletes (MEC) about the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four Brazilian Olympic athletes. The research followed social constructionism, with an emphasis on discursive practices, recording the way in which the interviewees produce meanings. Two thematic categories emerge from the interviews that make the analysis possible: a) the logic of hegemonic masculinities and; b) impacts on mental health. The findings of this research suggest that despite having achieved a good performance in the Olympic Games, the isolation produced in the Brazilian MEC athletes a strong impact on their state of mind and expectations, associated with the difficulties caused by the lack of minimum structure available in Brazil. All those interviewed recognize the importance of psychology services for overcoming the difficulties experienced by athletes in the face of the pandemic.