The formation of the mental health helpline was announced following a two-day International Athletes Forum, held at Lausanne in Switzerland.

Athlete Commission members from National Olympic Committees, International Federations, the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Paralympic Committee were among the representatives present at the Forum.

Direct support for athletes was discussed during the Forum with among the outcomes the creation of a mental health helpline for athletes.

This will be available to all athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, and will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be available in 70 languages.

The issue of athletes mental health was put in the spotlight during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics when American gymnast Simone Biles pulled herself out of the women's team event during competition, and withdrew from four individual apparatus finals, because of struggles with her mental state.

Biles returned to compete in the women's balance beam final in Tokyo, winning a bronze medal, but reflected afterwards that bringing the issue of mental health to the forefront of conversation was the most significant thing.

Biles subsequently took a two-year break from the sport, but is back competing, and is currently participating in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp.

Athletes are also set to be able to benefit from premium subscriptions to a leading mindfulness app designed to improve their sleep, enhance focus or alleviate anxious thoughts.

The offer to subscribe to the mindfulness app is set to launch on October 10 to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Other athlete support initiatives that were covered during the International Athletes Forum included a presentation about the Olympic Movement funding model, as well as other athlete support programmes available.

Athletes were also informed about Olympic Broadcasting Services training programmes currently taking place, which provide training for Olympians and Paralympians and prepare them for career opportunities during Paris 2024.

Other Olympic Games related initiatives announced included that social media guidelines for athletes would soon be released, giving athletes ideas and opportunities about how to raise their profiles around Paris 2024.

Another initiative discussed was the Road to Paris Pilot Project, which is set to give sporting goods brands more opportunities to promote their featured athletes before and during Paris 2024.

The Forum also included a presentation of the updated Athletes Commission strategy, a safeguarding workshop and panel discussions on upcoming Olympic Games and what it means to be an Olympian, where panellists included former Spanish basketball player Pau Gasol, former American Alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn and American track and field athlete Allyson Felix.

IOC President Thomas Bach held a two-hour question and answer session with participants to conclude the Forum.

Reflecting on the Forum IOC Athletes Commission chair Emma Terho said: "Over the past two days, we’ve covered topics ranging from what it takes to build an effective Athletes Commission to what it means to be an Olympian.

"We’ve looked ahead to Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026 and LA2028, highlighting the huge number of programmes and initiatives in place to support athletes on their journeys.

"We’ve discussed how to support a safe space for us to speak openly about the issues that matter most to us as athletes and athlete representatives."