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This paper examines the criminal justice activism of tennis star Naomi Osaka as it evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding matters of police violence and racial justice. Calls to reform and defund the police received much attention in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020. The Floyd killing also motivated Naomi Osaka to begin her criminal justice activism, which has generally been very well received. Adopting a constructionist perspective, I investigate how Osaka’s criminal justice activism has, in the broader context of the development of celebrity culture, been subjectively motivated and inter-subjectively received by the public and in the news media. Theoretically this paper has the two-fold objective of developing a model of the conditions favorable to the successful reception of celebrity activism and, additionally, of suggesting how such criminologically relevant activism can be understood in terms of a process of celebritization of criminal justice and police reform as causes worthy of attention. This case study of Osaka’s criminal justice activism reveals the important role a celebrity can play in influencing public sentiments about key aspects of policing and crime control as an important element of criminal justice culture.

Professional tennis players and sports media personalities offered their thoughts regarding Naomi Osaka's May 31 decision to withdraw from the French Open out of concern for her mental well-being.

Increasing attention to athlete mental health Vulnerability about mental health has been considered inconsistent with competitive athletic culture and assumes elite athletes are role models of toughness both physically and mentally.1 Thankfully in recent years, sports medicine organisations have been focusing more attention on athlete mental health. In 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Canadian Center for Mental Health and Sport released publications regarding mental health evaluation, treatment and prevention.2 3 Soon after, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) published their position statement addressing psychological and environmental factors that commonly impact athlete mental health.4 Several recent efforts have aimed to better identify mental health challenges in athletes. The depression screening tool PHQ4 was added to the Preparticipation Physical Evaluation Monograph,5 and the IOC expanded provider resources with its mental health toolkit, which included the Sports Mental Health Assessment Tool.6 For the first time, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee also required mental health screening for all Team USA athletes and brought mental health officers to the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The potential unhealthy impact of media The AMSSM Position Statement on mental health in athletes acknowledges that mental health challenges can be affected by the athletic environment.4 This can include the direct and indirect interaction of athletes with the media, which is realised in various ways.