Michael Phelps urges athletes to care for mental health after delayed Olympic Games

America's legendary swimmer Michael Phelps on Monday urged Olympic athletes to seek psychological help after the 2020 Tokyo Games was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is our life," Phelps said.

"I've tried to remember how emotionally I would be right now if I were still competing ... It's hard to really understand," admitted Phelps, who has recounted his battles against anxiety and depression in the past.

Phelps, who retired after the Rio-2016 Games with a record 28 medals (23 of them gold), noted that athletes should try to look for positives in this delay.

"You go through a process for four years. We know exactly when it is going to come, and our bodies are ready for it, and then we have to wait," he said.

"If you are in a situation where you need help, contact and ask for help," Phelps urged. "It's something that was very difficult for me to do."

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the historic decision to postpone the Tokyo Games for a year due to the global impact of the new coronavirus pandemic.

Prevention measures and restrictions imposed in many countries on the concentration of people were also seriously affecting the preparation of Olympic athletes. 

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