“Let's be allies and talk about your friend in a room of people who are relevant for her career.”

Meet Cristina Ibarra, who’s living her dream by working in sport and closely with athletes, creating strategies to protect them at the International Skating Union. She has a background as a human rights lawyer, teacher, and certified mental health coach, and she learned about anti-doping during her time at AISTS (International Academy of Sport Science and Technology). Cristina has also competed in two international triathlon championships.

MENTAL HEALTH IN SPORT

“I would like to help de-stigmatise mental health. High-performing athletes are under a lot of pressure, and their mental health can affect them just as much as a physical injury. I would like to advocate for the joy of sport and protect athletes from dangers such as abuse, overtraining, unfair play. Cases have shown that when athletes reconnect with the joy of sport, their performance improves. I would definitely advise approaching sport in a fun, relaxed way with persistence and discipline.”