SOCIAL media platforms have become integral to many people’s everyday life, serving as a powerful tool for communication and connection. For Jamaica’s sporting stars, particularly in track and field, its impact is multifaceted. Yet, beneath the surface of seemingly harmless posts lies a complex web of influence that can either elevate these athletes to new heights or immerse them in a whirlwind of pressure.

MVP Track and Field Club Head Coach Stephen Francis typically gives major talking points, and during the Paris Olympics he duly delivered when he suggested that his athletes may have to delete their social media accounts ahead of competition.

That comment stemmed from star sprinter Tia Clayton finishing seventh in the Women’s 100m final, after being touted as a potential medal favourite due to her form this season — including a 10.89-second clocking in the semi-finals.

Francis told the Jamaica Observer that she may have done better had social media not been a factor.

“There were a lot of factors she wasn’t accustomed to, primarily the weather which had turned cold. I also think the reality of being in contention, combined with possibly something she saw on her phone, might have caused her to freeze,” he said.

“I believe [a measure] I’m going to try to implement among the athletes is for them to delete social media before they start to run and that kind of stuff, because it’s too much of a distraction and they spend too much time on their phones,” Francis added.

Quarter-miler Junelle Bromfield, who reached the semi-finals of her event, faced abusive messages and comments on social media, mostly stemming from her relationship with American sprint star Noah Lyles. Other athletes, including Shericka Jackson, also encountered mixed reactions from social media users during the Games.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a high-level local track and field coach who has led several Jamaican teams in international competitions says he understands Francis’s view due to challenges he has faced with his athletes.

“Sometimes I wish I could take away the phones from my athletes during competition time but they’re so addicted to it that moving them from that can create a problem too,” the coach told the Observer.

“I remember landing in a certain country, and we came off the bus and stepped into the hotel. Before they even checked about the room or anything, the first question they asked was, ‘What’s the Wi-Fi password?’ with one athlete saying that their phone is their life!”

Renowned sports psychologist Dr Jason Scott Hamilton has worked with some of the world’s top athletes, including sprint legend Usain Bolt and four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal. He has also contributed to Jamaica’s team at the Tokyo Olympics and the Reggae Boyz at the 2024 Copa America.

He told the Observer that younger athletes are more at risk of underperforming due to their social media usage.

“There’s something called stages of development. An athlete at five years old is different from an athlete at 10, 15, 20. But at 20 the athlete’s prefrontal cortex — which controls executive functioning in your brain — is not fully developed. In the male it will be developed at 25 and the female by 21, so you’re still impressionable; you can still be affected by what you read,” said Dr Hamilton.

Hamilton has seen first-hand the danger social media can cause, after an incident with a Jamaican athlete at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

“They wrote really horrible things about the athlete. If you’re hearing a lot of negatives, it can affect you to the point [where] it affects you physically. That athlete got really sick and all the sports medical team at the hospital with her — and some of it was psychosomatic because what she was reading can affect her,” he said.

However, social media can provide a crucial platform for individuals to market themselves and generate income. This is why Tanya Lee Perkins, a marketing consultant and head of Leep Marketing, isn’t in favour of a complete ban on social media, even though she recognises its potential downsides.

“Social media can be distracting and may affect the mental health of some athletes during competition. The exposure to criticism, negative comments, unrealistic expectations, and increased scrutiny can lead to performance anxiety and even depression, so I do understand Stephen Francis’s concerns. However, imposing a ban can also cause performance anxiety and prevent athletes from being able to relax, so I suggest practising mindful usage instead,” Lee Perkins told the Observer.

Lee Perkins, whose clients include Olympians Jaydon Hibbert and Ackera Nugent, believes social media is essential for athletes in the modern era in brand building. She suggests that athletes engage competent people to oversee their social media accounts.

“Athletes aiming to enhance their public image and create a marketable brand — both during and after their sports career — must prioritise social media. Social media serves as a vital tool for athletes to connect with fans, showcase their personalities, and engage directly with their audience. They can do it themselves or benefit from the use of professionals to do the job,” she said.

The high-level coach agreed that athletes can respond differently to social media bans.

“If you live on something every day and you don’t have it, it can throw you off. If you want to hurt a youth, just take away their phone. It can create good and create bad; it comes down to the individual. The more senior professionals are likely to manage it better because more is at stake for them. But, taking away social media is up to the coach and the athlete; I don’t think it should be on a general scale,” he said.

While admitting it’s up to the athlete and their coach, Dr Hamilton would support a social media ban during competition because of its negative track record.

“I would show them examples of people who didn’t participate in social media and went about their business and got their best performance, medalled, or had a personal best. Then I would show them examples of those who spend a lot of time on social media and they’re not so happy with their performances,” he said.

“If you can show scientific proof that being on social media makes you run faster then, by all means, do it — but the British Journal of Sports Medicine and other research on the subject shows that it’s not really improving the athlete’s performance,” he said.

Lee-Perkins says a reduction in and a thorough assessment of its usage can be effective.

“Limit social media time and be mindful of what accounts they engage with. Focus on their mental health, and engage mostly with positive family members and friends. Take a social media detox on competition day if it causes anxiety, as this is when athletes need to be most focused and relaxed. Social media can also boost morale and provide motivation. Increasing the mental conditioning of athletes before major competitions will also help them to be resilient under scrutiny,” she said.