Game Over? Integration of Athletic and Illness Identity of Former Elite Athletes Through a Social Perspective

This study examines athletes who have quit or reduced high-level sport due to mental or physical illness or injury, focusing on identity and social factors involved in this transition. It explores how athletes integrate athletic, illness, and social identities, and how these are reflected in the shift from active athlete to person with an illness or injury. Understanding these dynamics is vital, as health-related interruptions to athletic careers can profoundly disrupt athletes’ daily lives and well-being. The study examines psychosocial factors such as group memberships, identity, and life satisfaction to assess how identity integration relates to health and well-being outcomes. By identifying factors that support positive transitions, this research contributes to understanding how former athletes can maintain well-being when illness or injury interrupts their careers.