The culture of hypermasculinity in sport has long discouraged men and boys from being open and vulnerable about their mental health.

Sport organizations, like the National Hockey League Players’ Association, have been taking steps toward addressing this issue by introducing programs aimed at supporting the mental health of players.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Michael Kehler and Gabriel Knott-Fayle from the University of Calgary write about the shift we are seeing as male athletes have begun to speak more openly about mental health and seek support for it.

But, as Kehler and Knott-Fayle explain, while progress is being made, there’s still hesitancy to name and confront issues such as sexual assault and homophobia. Still, the commitment to improving the inclusion, safety and well-being of athletes is evident, marking a step in the right direction.

They write: “We can reimagine sport to be inclusive, diverse and safe, to tap into the positive potential of sports. But it requires redefining what it means to care.”

Also today:

• Mining the depths: Norway’s deep-sea exploitation could put it in environmental and legal murky waters
• Sammy Yatim inquest: Speaking for the dead, or a Toronto police marketing campaign?
• Use of lockdowns in Canadian prisons could amount to torture
• A 365-million-year-old fish with an extreme underbite showcases vertebrate diversity

All the best.