Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles among World’s most influential female sports stars for talking about mental health issues
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Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles
Sports Business Journal announced Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles as two of the most influential female athletes. They were joined by NBA star LeBron James who has been the talk of the town for quite some seasons now. Hailed as one of the greatest the league has ever seen, LeBron is one of the most sought-after figures in the sport.
The four-time NBA champion made a huge switch when he landed an endorsement deal with Pepsi. James had been associated with Coca Cola for almost two decades. The LA Lakers forward also took an ownership stake in Fenway Sports Group which is co-founded by media personality Maverick Carter.
Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles make the headlines on the back of a tough year
Both Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles endured a tough year on the court but off it, they stole the show with their courage and grit. The duo broke the stigma around mental health and was well appreciated for the same.
While Naomi won this season’s Australian Open, Osaka wasn’t able to continue her good form as she withdrew from Roland Garros over the ‘not talking to media’ controversy. Then she faltered at the Tokyo Olympics. Despite a tough season, Osaka took a stand for her mental health issues and her move was well-received by all as she became the talk of the town.
Biles entered the Tokyo Olympics with a mission to tie the record for the most decorated female gymnast. But she withdrew from five of her six finals at the Olympics in July to focus on her mental health as the four-time gold medallist suffered from a phenomenon known as the twisties. for her courageous stand, Biles was hailed all over the globe and was even named TIME’s Athlete of the Year.
Barring their heroics around mental health, Naomi and Simone notched up some lucrative endorsement deals. While Biles swapped Nike for Gap’s Athleta brand, Osaka was named the brand ambassador for Tag Heuer watches as well as Louis Vuitton. The tennis ace also announced her own swimwear collection as well as a range of new skincare products.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)