The London 2012 Olympics - Will there be a legacy for mental health?

Abstract

The host country's legacy after the Olympic Games is multifaceted. Alongside such diverse elements as tourism, commerce and transport sit the health benefits of increased participation in sports and provision of the highest quality medical support for the nation's elite sporting performers. Mental health, however, merits no specific mention. This could be a missed opportunity to create a legacy that promotes the mental health benefits of exercise as well as ensuring that the mental health needs of elite sportsmen and women are recognised and met in the same manner as their physical health needs.