Aly Raisman on athletes and mental health: 'Athletes are human just like everybody else'

ALY RAISMAN ON ATHLETES AND MENTAL HEALTH: 'ATHLETES ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE'

Aly Raisman isn't surprised that a number of athletes have come forward about their mental health struggles because "athletes are human just like everybody else."

"Everyone is fighting their own battles and everyone has ups and downs and we're all human, we're all doing the best that we can to navigate. But I think that the time that we're living in now, where we're recognizing that athletes, no matter how successful they are, are human, too. And they have anxiety, they struggle with depression. They have ups and downs just like all of us."

Raisman has been public about her own personal struggles. In 2017 she came forward as one of the sexual abuse victims of former USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. She spoke at his sentencing in a Michigan courtroom in 2018.

Raisman won gold medals for gymnastics on the 2012 and 2016 Olympic teams. She last competed in the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro but didn't confirm her retirement until January 2020.

She says she does not miss gymnastics but still loves the sport.

"I think that it's important to separate the sport of gymnastics from the abuse that happened and the cover up of abuse, the bad people in the sport. I think gymnastics is an incredible sport. But I did it. I started gymnastics when I was two years old and did it until I was 22. So I think I am burned out from doing my own gymnastics. But I watch the Olympics and I do love watching gymnastics. I think it's an incredible sport that's taught me a lot of life lessons, but I am excited for the next chapter of my life."

Raisman hosts a special called "Darkness to Light" airing Friday, Sept. 24 on Lifetime where she speaks to other survivors of sexual abuse.

IMAGE: AP