KUALA LUMPUR: Former national rugby sevens head coach Ahmad Fadzlee Ahmad Idriss believes that athletes who practice a positive mindset can harness constructive criticism from the media to boost their performances.
Fadzlee, who is also a sports science specialist, said the media plays an important role in sports and stressed how an athlete reacts to reports about them is crucial.
"The media usually does research on an athlete's performance before producing a report and they know an athlete's track record. They won't simply produce an article or video without doing their research," said Fadzlee when contacted yesterday.
"If an athlete does well, the media will praise them for showing improvement and also highlight their victories but if there is a decline in performance they will also point that out.
"You can either take it positively and challenge yourself to improve and come back strong or you can be rebellious and believe that only you are correct.
"Again this all comes down to having a positive mindset which is something that all athletes should learn and practice. Sports psychology education for athletes is very important.
"As an athlete, you have to remember that you can't judge yourself because you don't always see all the angles, especially if you are living in a bubble. Other people have to judge you.
"What the media is essentially doing is reminding us (athletes, coaches) that we are doing what we love but we are not achieving. It is never their intent to embarrass us, they will never say that an athlete is lazy."
Fadzlee added that the media also plays an important role in highlighting issues that are being faced by athletes and can help athletes gain the support they need from the sporting authorities to resolve any issues.
He stressed that psychological skills training is something that athletes must continuously practice throughout their careers, not only in the run-up to major tournaments.