U.S. Ski & Snowboard alumni Jeremy Bloom, Bode Miller, Shaun White, and the late Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, through his mother, Linda, will be featured in HBO’s The Weight of Gold, premiering Wednesday, at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The documentary film explores the mental health challenges that Olympic athletes often face in deeply personal detail. 

More than 3.6 billion people around the world tune in to watch the Olympic Games. What most of these viewers don’t know is that just like one in five Americans, many of these Olympic athletes similarly face serious mental health challenges and struggle to find the necessary support and resources, according to a press release announcing the documentary’s debut.

In The Weight of Gold, Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympic athlete of all-time, shares his account of his struggle, along with the struggles of other high-profile Olympic athletes. This documentary is premiering at a critical moment for the millions who struggle with mental health – an issue greatly exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The film seeks to inspire the discussion of mental health, encourage help-seeking behavior, and highlight the need for readily available help and support.

Tune in to witness the powerful stories of Michael, Bode, Shaun, Jeremy, Speedy, and other Olympic champions that highlight the critical role that mental health plays in sport and everyday life.

THE WEIGHT OF GOLD will be available on HBO and to stream on HBO Max. 

Mental Health Resources
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee: www.teamusa.org/mentalhealth 
The Speedy Foundation: https://www.thespeedyfoundation.org    
Michael Phelps Foundation: https://michaelphelpsfoundation.org 
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org  
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org 
Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org  
Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org  

If you or someone you know is experiencing an urgent mental health issue, we encourage you to text HOME to 741741, or call (800) 273-8255 to speak to a mental health professional. In the process of helping yourself, you may be inspiring courage in others to seek help as well.

If you are a U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, member, or staff, and feel you need support or would like to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out to USOPC Sr. Sport Psychologist Alexander Cohen as a resource.

Alexander Cohen, Ph.D., CMPC
Sr. Sport Psychologist
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
alexander.cohen@usoc.org
(O) +1 719-866-3180 (M) +1 719-216-6376