Vocational careers of retired Olympic athletes from Switzerland: A person-oriented study

For many high-performance athletes, competing in the Olympic Games is a major goal. Achieving this goal requires more than ever substantial investments of time and personal resources towards sports career over several years. Thus, some athletes neglect other areas life (e.g. education), which can pose problem for after sport, while pursue dual career. Previous studies have shown that former achieved higher levels education better vocational positions general population. Due to advancing professionalization commercialization question emerges whether these results are valid recently retired. In addition, cross-cultural generalisability findings interest. purpose, 341 representing Switzerland at Olympics were surveyed about their athletic, educational, careers. It turns out obtained degrees Relative siblings, they school-leaving certificates work prestigious occupations. Following holistic-interactionistic paradigm, person-oriented analyses was performed revealed nine – mostly satisfactory patterns. Hence, involvement sport facilitates rather hinders successful