Athletes are human, not cyborgs, and Naomi Osaka’s exit should make that clear

“As sports people, we need to be ready to accept the questions and try to produce an answer, no?” Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who has won 13 times at Roland Garros, told reporters last week. “I understand her, but on the other hand, for me, without the press, without the people who normally is traveling, who are … writing the news and achievements that we are having around the world, probably we will not be the athletes that we are today. We [aren’t] going to have the recognition that we have around the world, and we will not be that popular, no? I understand her. On the other hand I have my point of view that the media is a very important part of our sport.”