Constraints and facilitators of elite athletes’ dual careers: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT

This systematic literature review aimed to map and synthesise the multidisciplinary research field of constraints and facilitators of elite athletes’ dual careers. Trends and gaps in the literature to shape future research, policy, and management practice to initiate change were outlined. This review employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart. Thereby, 126 relevant journal articles were identified, and their contents were evaluated. The results demonstrated an emerging and multidisciplinary body of literature with a geographical concentration on European studies. The findings indicated many constraints and facilitators at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural levels. The results suggested that an athlete’s situation and environment determine whether a factor is a constraint or a facilitator, as several overlaps were identified. Thematic, theoretical, methodological, and practical agendas were discussed. Propositions indicating avenues for future research were identified. This review contributes to knowledge as it not only looks at one athlete population (e.g. student-athletes) but integrates studies of types of elite athletes. Moreover, an equal emphasis was placed on evaluating the existing journal articles thematically, theoretically, methodologically, and practically. This is original concerning constraints and facilitators of elite athletes’ dual careers.

KEYWORDS:

• Elite sport
• high-performance sports
• student-athletes
• multi-disciplinary research
• professional sports

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2024.2377546