'We're human beings, nobody is perfect. It's ok to not be ok. It's ok to go through ups and downs and emotional roller coasters,' said Phelps, the most-decorated Olympian of all time.
, Phelps was asked about American gymnast Simone Biles' abrupt withdrawal the previous day as the women's team final began.
Phelps on Tuesday night seemed more emotional than any other on-camera appearance he's had during these Games, which is the first in 25 years without him being on the Team USA swimming roster. "The Olympics is overwhelming. There are a lot of emotions that go into it. I can talk about this for an hour," Phelps said."The easiest way for me to say it is I think athletes, and Olympic athletes in general, we need someone who we can trust. Somebody who can let us be ourselves, listen and allow us to become vulnerable. Somebody who is not gonna come try to fix us. We carry a lot of things and a lot of weight on our shoulders.
Michael Phelps in the stands during the Swimming Finals at the Tokyo Aquatic Centre at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games on July 25, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.Biles never openly showed that pressure got to her, nor has she shown any signs of mental health issues. But she's talked about them through the last few years.
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