Till Örebro universitet

Elite sport is a precarious context and as athletes are pushing their physical and mental boundaries to enhance performance, consequences can be devastating. In contrast to arguments that elite sport cannot be sustainable, some scholars have argued that with certain considerations and precautions, elite sport can have fewer unsustainable consequences. However, the current literature has missed to capture athletes' voices regarding sustainability in elite sport. Therefore, this article aims to give voice to athletes and their needs and concerns regarding sustainable elite sport and through this, to extend the existing elite sport sustainability conceptualisation with knowledge from the athlete perspective. Focus-group interviews were conducted with 15 high performance athletes. The findings suggest that athletes need athlete-centred coaching, focus on holistic perspectives, and co-creation of their overall development. However, athletes also seem to adapt and accept commodity structures, as their focus on results overrules most aspects regarding long-term health and well-being.