In an exclusive interview, Springbok midfielder Lukhanyo Am opens up about his battle with injuries and emphasises the urgent need for sports culture to place a greater priority on athlete mental health. Picture: Michael Sherman/IOL
As someone who has battled repeated injuries in recent seasons, Springbok centre Lukhanyo Am knows the mental toll of the game as intimately as the physical one. While he notes that the Springbok setup is supportive in this regard, he believes there is still significant room for improvement across professional sport in South Africa.
“From a mental health point of view, it's still a thing that needs to grow in the game. We've seen it in the past, and athletes are still going through it,” Am shared in an exclusive interview with IOL.
Since the 2023 Rugby Championship, Am’s career has been repeatedly disrupted by a frustrating knee injury. The initial setback was severe enough to cost him a spot in the original 2023 Rugby World Cup squad, though he was later called up as an injury replacement.
Now plying his trade in Japan for the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Dynaboars, the premier midfielder is laser-focused on rediscovering his best form and working his way back onto the national selectors' radar.
