Potentially Prolonged Psychological Distress from Postponed Olympic and Paralympic Games during COVID-19-Career Uncertainty in Elite Athletes

Irrational Performance Beliefs and Mental Well-Being Upon Returning to Sport During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Test of Mediation by Intolerance of Uncertainty

Purpose: This study examined the extent to which irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty co-occur in relation to mental well-being among a sample of athletes and coaches (N = 94, M age = 31.99, SD = 12.81) upon their return to sport following COVID-19 disruptions. Methods and Results: Despite the parity in views, independent samples t-test results identified three significant differences in the tested variables between athletes and coaches, which suggested that athletes are more likely to entertain depreciative thoughts about performances and react more aversively to uncertainty, whereas coaches reported a better mental well-being state. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis confirmed a significant positive relationship between composite irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty scores, with both these variables being inversely related to mental well-being. Results from a simple atemporal mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro verified that intolerance of uncertainty fully mediated the adverse effect irrational beliefs exert on mental well-being. Conclusion: Sports psychology practitioners within the framework of REBT are advised to explore their orientation of modifying irrational beliefs aligned to clients' perceptions and tolerance of uncertainty in sport through the inclusion of IU-specific awareness and behavioral experiments.

Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on athletes, sports events, and mass gathering events: Review and recommendations

Since the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), which caused several respiratory diseases, was formally declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, it affected the lifestyle and health of athletes, both directly through cardiorespiratory and other health related effects, and indirectly as the pandemic has forced the suspension, postponement, or cancellation of most professional sporting events around the world. In this review, we explore the journey of athletes throughout the pandemic and during their return to their competitive routine. We also highlight potential pitfalls during the process and summarize the recommendations for the optimal return to sport participation. We further discuss the impact of the pandemic on the psychology of athletes, the variance between the team and individual athletes, and their ability to cope with the changes. Moreover, we specifically reviewed the pandemic impact on younger professional athletes in terms of mental and fitness health. Finally, we shaded light on the various impacts of mass gathering events and recommendations for managing upcoming events.

Retrospective study of COVID-19 experiences in elite multinational aquatic athletes

This study assessed the experiences of elite aquatic athletes with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the first World Championship conducted without social distancing and an isolation "bubble". An online questionnaire was completed by 812 athletes (22.7 ± 5.9 years, 467 females) to provide data on demographics, sports activity, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection rates, symptoms, reinfection, vaccination status, and psychological aspects. The answers revealed that 49.4% of athletes had experienced SARS-CoV-2 infection. The infection rates varied significantly across different aquatic sports, with open water swimmers having the lowest (28%) and water polo players (67%) and artistic swimmers (61%) having the highest infection rates (p < 0.0001). The majority reported mild (51%) or moderate (27%) symptoms, while 16% remained asymptomatic. Reinfection occurred in 13%, and 10% of initial infections led to long COVID, with fatigue (65%) and shortness of breath (48%) being the most common long-term symptoms. Significantly, 92% of athletes received at least two vaccine doses and reported a positive vaccination experience (median score of 8 out of 10 for each shot). Mood changes and subjective performance drops significantly correlated with the overall experience scores (rho: 0.617, p < 0.0001, and rho: 0.466, p < 0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, most athletes experienced a benign disease course despite a relatively high infection rate. This study provides valuable insights into the COVID-19 experiences of elite aquatic athletes. The findings emphasize the importance of vaccination initiatives, monitoring psychological well-being and the need to fortify athletes' resilience in the face of future health challenges.

Coping with COVID-19: Can a Sense of Coherence and Social Support Play a Protective Role in the Perception of COVID-19 by Polish Women Football Players? A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Athletes have demonstrated a significant increase in anxiety and stress connected to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the theory of salutogenesis, this study examined the relationship between the sense of coherence and social support and competitive elite-level athletes' perception of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The perceived secondary gains associated with the pandemic were analysed with a quasi-qualitative research methodology. The sample consisted of 204 competitive elite-level female football players aged 14-36 (M = 17.61, SD = 4.42) who completed the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOC-29), the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), and the researchers' own questionnaire to assess the perception of the COVID-19 situation.

RESULTS

The results confirmed a relationship between a sense of coherence and coping better with the difficult situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. No protective role of social support in the adaptive perception of the pandemic situation was identified.

CONCLUSIONS

The data from the quasi-qualitative study testify to the use of the adversity of the pandemic to grow in many areas of female football players' lives. The sense of coherence was a protective factor in mitigating the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Exploring the stress of olympic postponement due to COVID-19 on elite/international and world-class parenting and pregnant runners

The primary objective of this community-based participatory research is to explore the impacts of COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes. Participants in this study include 11 female and 10 male parenting and/or pregnant middle and distance runners. Combined, the participants have competed at 26 Olympic Games and 31 World Championships. Drawing on the general concepts of stressors and psychological resilience, we use thematic analysis to develop four themes to understand the stressors for world-class and elite/international-class parenting and pregnant athletes due to COVID-19 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: (1) lack of childcare support, (2) family planning, and (3) needing to stay away from sources of COVID-including their children. Despite the stressors identified in the aforementioned themes, we identified a fourth theme: (4) participants demonstrated adaptability to stress in spite of-or due to-their athlete-parent identities.

Competing against COVID-19: what about the mental health problems of athletes with disabilities?

OBJECTIVES

Although there is growing interest in athletes' mental health (MH), there is a paucity of research exploring MH in athletes with disabilities (AWD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological state of AWD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An online survey including demographic questions, SARS-CoV-2-related questions, and standardized scales assessing depression, anxiety, stress, coronavirus anxiety (CAS), and nonspecific psychological distress was distributed to AWD.

RESULTS

A total of 362 athletes (183 AWD) participated in the study (response rate 31.2%). AWD infected with SARS-CoV-2 reported higher depression, anxiety, and CAS scores than AWD not infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Z = -2.10, ES = 0.15 Z = -3.45, ES = 0.25; Z = -2.43, ES = 0.18; respectively). Female AWD reported higher anxiety scores compared to males (Z = -2.25, ES = 0.16). Depression (Z = -2.80, ES = 0.20), stress (Z = -2.12, ES = 0.15) and K-10 (Z = -2.02, ES = 0.14 scores of individual sport AWD were higher than team sports AWD.

CONCLUSION

MH problems in AWD were associated with a wide range of variables such as being infected with SARS-CoV-2, female gender, competing in an individual sport, and having performance concerns. In light of these results, MH assessment should be undertaken for AWD to ensure appropriate and timely intervention.

A tale of two stories: COVID-19 and disability. A critical scoping review of the literature on the effects of the pandemic among athletes with disabilities and para-athletes

The still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted athletes, and, in particular, para-athletes and athletes with disabilities. However, there is no scholarly appraisal on this topic. Therefore, a critical scoping review of the literature was conducted. We were able to retrieve sixteen relevant studies. The sample size ranged from 4 to 183. Most studies were observational, cross-sectional, and questionnaire-based surveys, two studies were interventional, and two were longitudinal. One study was a technical feasibility study. Almost all studies were conducted as single-country studies, with the exception of one multi-country investigation. Five major topics/themes could be identified: namely, 1) impact of COVID-19-induced confinement on training and lifestyles in athletes with disabilities/para-athletes; 2) impact of COVID-19-induced confinement on mental health in athletes with disabilities/para-athletes; 3) impact of COVID-19-induced confinement on performance outcomes in athletes with disabilities/para-athletes; 4) risk of contracting COVID-19 among athletes with disabilities/para-athletes; and, finally, 5) impact of COVID-19 infection on athletes with disabilities/para-athletes. The scholarly literature assessed was highly heterogeneous, with contrasting findings, and various methodological limitations. Based on our considerations, we recommend that standardized, reliable tools should be utilized and new, specific questionnaires should be created, tested for reliability, and validated. High-quality, multi-center, cross-countries, longitudinal surveys should be conducted to overcome current shortcomings. Involving all relevant actors and stakeholders, including various national and international Paralympic Committees, as a few studies have done, is fundamental: community-led, participatory research can help identify gaps in the current knowledge about sports-related practices among the population of athletes with disabilities during an unprecedented period of measures undertaken that have significantly affected everyday life. Moreover, this could advance the field, by capturing the needs of para-athletes and athletes with disabilities and enabling the design of a truly "disability-inclusive response" to COVID-19 and similar future conditions/situations. Furthermore, follow-up studies on COVID-19-infected para-athletes and athletes with disabilities should be conducted. Evidence of long-term effects of COVID-19 is available only for able-bodied athletes, for whom cardiorespiratory residual alterations and mental health issues a long time after COVID-19 have been described.

Monitoring mental distress in Para athletes in preparation, during and after the Beijing Paralympic Games 2022: A 22 week prospective mixed-method study

It is common in elite sport to monitor athletes' training load, injuries and illnesses, but mental distress is rarely included. An improved understanding of the epidemiology of mental distress among elite Para athletes and how their coaches perceive such monitoring would allow us to better develop and implement preventive measures. The purpose of this study was therefore to (1) prospectively describe elite Para athletes' mental distress, before, during and after the Beijing Paralympic Games (Paralympics Games 22 = PG22); and to (2) gain a better understanding of if and potentially how awareness of athletes' mental distress changed, through weekly monitoring, and influenced how coachers perceive athletes' mental distress and if they accounted for this before, during and after PG22. A mixed-method study design was used, in which prospective mental distress (depression and anxiety) data were collected weekly from 13 [Swedish] elite Para athletes in preparation, during and after PG22. Data were screened and evaluated weekly by a physiotherapist and a sports psychologist, and coaches also received weekly reports. A focus-group interview with the coaches were conducted post Paralympics to address coaches' awareness about mental distress and athlete health monitoring in Parasport. For data analyses, descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative data and a content analysis was conducted for the qualitative data. The results reveled the following proportion of datapoints indicating symptoms of anxiety and depression: before PG22 (15.8 and 19.1%); during PG22 (47.6 and 38.2%); and after PG22 (0 and 11.8%). The qualitative results indicated that coaches perceived athlete health monitoring as helpful for increasing their awareness of mental distress, and as a useful tool to initiate support for their athletes as well as improving their coaching. In summary, this cohort of elite Para athletes reported a high proportion of mental distress during the Winter Paralympic Games in Beijing. The results also show that it is important and feasible to monitor Para athletes' mental distress to detect and manage early symptoms of mental distress.

Coping Strategies and Perceiving Stress among Athletes during Different Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic-Data from Poland, Romania, and Slovakia

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has affected numerous aspects of human functioning. Social contacts, work, education, travel, and sports have drastically changed during the lockdown periods. The pandemic restrictions have severely limited professional athletes’ ability to train and participate in competitions. For many who rely on sports as their main source of income, this represents a source of intense stress. To assess the dynamics of perceived stress as well as coping strategies during different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, we carried out a longitudinal study using the Perception of Stress Questionnaire and the Brief COPE on a sample of 2020 professional athletes in Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. The results revealed that in all three countries, the highest intrapsychic stress levels were reported during the fourth wave (all, p < 0.01) and the highest external stress levels were reported before the pandemic (p < 0.05). To analyze the data, analyses of variance were carried out using Tukey’s post hoc test and η2 for effect size. Further, emotional tension was the highest among Polish and Slovak athletes in the fourth wave, while the highest among Romanian athletes was in the pre-pandemic period. The coping strategies used by the athletes in the fourth wave were more dysfunctional than during the first wave (independent t test and Cohen’s d were used). The dynamics of the coping strategies—emotion focused and problem focused—were also discussed among Polish, Romanian, and Slovak athletes. Coaches and sports psychologists can modify the athletes’ perceived stress while simultaneously promoting effective coping strategies.

From minding the gap to widening the gap: Paralympic athletes' experiences of wellbeing during the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 games

In March 2020, it was announced that the Tokyo Games would be postponed for one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While athletes commonly face challenges in sport such as injuries, the pandemic and rescheduling of the Games was an unexpected event that had serious potential to challenge the psychological wellbeing of athletes. Furthermore, it was an event that was simultaneously experienced by all athletes preparing for the Games. It provided a novel opportunity to explore how athletes navigated this challenging environment and the subsequent potential impact on their psychological wellbeing. It also provided a unique opportunity to engage para-athletes and explore how they experienced the pandemic and postponement. This manuscript draws on a larger qualitative study of 21 Canadian athletes (14 Olympic and seven Paralympic) who were on target to compete at the 2020 Games when the postponement was announced. For this manuscript, we focus on the accounts of seven Paralympic hopefuls and their experiences of adjusting to the postponement, while attending to the unique social identities of athletes with disabilities. Adopting a constructionist lens, semi-structured interviews were conducted at two time points. Through reflexive thematic analysis, we developed three themes. “We are all in the same boat. . . or are we?” describes the Paralympic hopefuls experiences early in the pandemic and how they felt united by the Canadian response to withdraw from the Games. It then discusses how, over time, they started to understand athletes with disabilities were being inequitably impacted by the pandemic and related public health measures. “Maybe it means more to them than us” examines how their perceptions changed as they acknowledged that although all athletes were facing a disruption to their sport careers, the implications were not the same for all. “Vulnerability and the Paralympic athlete” addresses how Paralympic athletes engaged with societal narratives about risk, vulnerability and disability and what this meant for the Paralympic Movement's response to the pandemic. “Honestly, I've experienced it before” examines how the Paralympic hopefuls drew on past experiences of injury to navigate the pandemic and the protective impact on their psychological wellbeing. Findings shed light on how systemic ableism interacted with the pandemic to magnify feelings of inferiority and further marginalization but also how para-athletes drew on past experiences to navigate challenges to their psychological wellbeing.

Impact of COVID on Sports Injury Patterns, Changes in Mental Well-Being, and Strategies to Prepare for Future Pandemics in Sport

ABSTRACT

This review describes the available evidence of the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, referred to COVID-19) pandemic on musculoskeletal injury patterns and prevalence in athletes. A brief overview of the epidemiology of COVID-19 and prevalence in active populations from youth through professional are provided. Responses to COVID-19 regarding sport participation at regional, national, and international organizations are summarized. Downstream effects of complete or partial training shutdown on injury risk and mental health are discussed. Strategies to maintain athletic potential and overall well-being include maintaining safe access to training facilities and resources, implementation of injury prevention programs, organization of athlete support networks, and incorporation of resilience and coping training.

Digital Workout Versus Team Training: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Athletes

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on sport practice and to identify measures adopted by individuals and sports organizations to allow a safe return to community sports. An electronic survey was launched worldwide in June 2020 in the German and English languages. The questionnaire collected anonymous data on sporting activity before, during, and after pandemic-induced confinement. Participants classified themselves as either recreational, competitive, or professional sports level athletes. A total of 1336 adults (30.5±11.7 years; 54.0% women) participated in the survey; 68.5% were active athletes, 10.1% coaches, 2.1% officials and 4.3% related medical staff, 3.6% had another function, and 11.4% indicated no regular sports activity. Most participants practiced their sport in Europe (93.8%); the majority (61.0%) was amateur athletes. During confinement, 15.7% could perform their main sport unrestricted, 43.5% stated a reduced amount of time spent on sporting activities, 46.4% a reduced intensity level. Most participants (77.5%) were neither aware of screening measures nor of guidelines for dealing with infected athletes (80.0%) or for return to sports after a coronavirus infection (88.6%). Preventive measures mentioned included basic hygiene, measures to reduce personal contacts or virus transmission, or to improve traceability of infections. During confinement, a higher age (p=0.004) and training in a club setting (p<0.001) were associated with reduced sporting activity, while the availability of online training (p=0.030 ) was linked to both increased extent and intensity levels. A lower age (p=0.001) and recreational sports level (p=0.005) were associated with decreased activity after confinement. Although isolation can be necessary to protect public health, it alters the amount and intensity of physical activity.

Athletes and Coaches through the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative View of Goal Management

Since the end of 2019 and throughout 2020, the world has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sports world suddenly had to deal with a massive reorganization of events with important implications for the physical and psychological preparation of athletes and coaches. The purpose of this study was to explore how these changes impacted coaches’ and athletes’ goal-setting strategies and their experience of goal adjustment. As part of a wider mixed-method project involving 2162 coaches and 1354 athletes, an online qualitative survey was used, and data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings highlighted three overarching themes, in response to goal adjustment: “Moving on toward new goals”, “Letting go of goals”, and “Trying to hold on”, with several themes and sub-themes identifying different nuances of athletes’ and coaches’ experiences. The implications of such findings for the mental preparation of high-level athletes are discussed in two ways. Firstly, in light of existing literature on goal setting from an applied perspective; secondly, in the broader perspective of the sports culture and the application of our themes to other challenging moments that sports professionals might encounter.

COVID-19 Lockdown 2020 Changed Patterns of Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Swiss Elite Athletes and Bodybuilders: Results From an Online Survey

Objectives: During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased patterns of substance use have been reported in the general population. However, whether this also applies to athletes is not yet clear. This study aimed to detect changes in alcohol consumption and cannabis use in elite athletes and bodybuilders during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Switzerland.

Methods: Between April 25 and May 25, 2020, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among bodybuilders and Swiss elite athletes who were active in Olympic sports and disciplines approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on at least the national level. The collected data included information on alcohol and cannabis use during the last month (lockdown) and in the year before COVID-19 lockdown (pre-lockdown), daily training times, existential fears on a scale from 1 to 100, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression (PHQ-9), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results:N = 275 athletes (elite athletes: n = 193; bodybuilders: n = 82) was included in this study. Both pre-lockdown and during lockdown, more bodybuilders used cannabis (both time points: p < 0.001) than elite athletes, and more elite athletes drank alcohol (pre-lockdown: p = 0.005, lockdown: p = 0.002) compared to bodybuilders. During lockdown, fewer athletes drank alcohol compared to before, but those who continued drinking did so on more days per week (p < 0.001, Eta² = 0.13). Elite athletes were more likely to increase their drinking with 17.7 vs. 8.2% in bodybuilders. When compared to pre-lockdown measures, the number of athletes using cannabis did not change during lockdown. Only three of 203 elite athletes reported using cannabis during lockdown; this contrasts with 16 of 85 bodybuilders. In a multivariate regression model, existential fears and a lower ISI score were significant predictors for increased alcohol consumption during the lockdown in the entire sample. In a model based on elite athletes only, male sex and a lower ISI score predicted increased alcohol consumption. In a bodybuilder-based model, predictors of increased alcohol consumption were existential fears and trait anxiety.

Conclusion: We suggest identifying athletes who are at risk for increased alcohol and cannabis use; we suggest this to be able to professionally support them during stressful times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effects of COVID-19 Home Confinement on Behavior, Perception of Threat, Stress and Training Patterns of Olympic and Paralympic Athletes

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent confinement on behaviors, perception of threat, stress, state of mind and training patterns among Olympic and Paralympic level athletes.

METHODS

Data gathering was performed utilizing an online questionnaire during imposed confinement. A correlational design with incidental sampling for convenience was used. All the variables were analyzed by age, gender, academic training, type of participation and sport specialty on a population composed of 447 Olympic (age: 26.0 ± 7.5 years) and 64 Paralympic (age: 28.4 ± 10.5 years) athletes.

RESULTS

The athletes trained more than twice as many hours before than during confinement. Most of the athletes recognized that their best athletic performance diminished due to the COVID-19 confinement but that will recover after the pandemic and its confinements. Almost half of the athletes declared they were more tired than normal and had difficulty sleeping, while more than half ate more or less as usual. Paralympic athletes reported they felt more capable to cope with personal problems and life events and felt less lonely during the confinement than the Olympians. The athletes from team sports reported to be more affected in their training routine than athletes of individual sports, seeing their athletic performance more affected. Athletes in individual sports felt more able to cope with personal problems than athletes in team sports. Female athletes were significantly more tired and reported more difficulty sleeping than male athletes.

CONCLUSION

The situation caused by COVID-19 has had significant effects on the behavior, perception of threat, stress and training patterns of Olympic and Paralympic athletes preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It is necessary that sports institutions reinforce mechanisms of help for athletes during future situations of confinement.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Psychiatric Symptoms among Swiss Elite Athletes during the First Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated first lockdown measures may have had a relevant impact on the mental health of competitive athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of various mental health issues in a Swiss elite athletes' cohort during the first lockdown of the pandemic, and to assess their association with different potential risk factors. Elite athletes from different disciplines were interviewed during the first lockdown in spring 2020 by means of an online questionnaire on symptoms of existing anxieties, depression and sleep disorders, as well as on training circumstances and physical performance before and during the lockdown. Additionally, the economic situation, secondary occupations and current physical health problems were surveyed. A total of 203 (92 female, 111 male) athletes met the inclusion criteria and participated in the survey. Training volume and intensity decreased significantly during lockdown from 3.1 to 2.7 h/day. Financial existential fears increased and were associated with higher training volumes and higher trait anxiety scores. Depressive symptoms and insomnia were present but not exceptionally frequent during the lockdown. Depressive symptoms were associated with higher anxiety scores, higher insomnia severity scores, lower training intensity and worse coping with the measures taken by the authorities against the pandemic. Changes in training and daily habits due to the first lockdown may have affected the mental health of elite athletes. Longitudinal studies should, however, further investigate the long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health.

Training Conditions and Emotional Impact on Spanish Olympic Swimmers and Rowers in Social Isolation Due to COVID-19. Results of a Survey

This article analyzes the results of a survey conducted in 2020 with Spanish Olympic swimmers and rowers, who were confined to their homes due to the epidemiological crisis. The questionnaire was administered between 23 April and 25 May. Responses to the questionnaire on emotional and adaptive reactions during the COVID-19 confinement (REACOVID-19) were received from 88 subjects, who represented 100% of the total population of Spanish Olympic swimmers and rowers. Through this questionnaire, they were asked about their living conditions, their daily training habits and their psychological, cognitive and emotional adaptation during the confinement. The results show the commitment of these athletes to their sports goals and their responsibility in respecting the confinement rules. Sixty-seven per cent of them stated that they had not left their homes for 96 days. In these extreme circumstances, the majority trained an average of 11 to 13 h a week and coped with the confinement with a positive attitude, in spite of the inconveniences of social isolation, the lack of equipment and technical support for training and the limitations of their physical space. The article analyzes which emotional and social factors influenced both their motivation and their hours of training.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Preparation for the Tokyo Olympics: A Comprehensive Performance Assessment of Top Swimmers

BACKGROUND

The Olympic preparation of athletes has been highly influenced by COVID and post-COVID syndrome. As the complex screening of athletes is essential for safe and successful sports, we aimed to repeat the 2019-year sports cardiology screening of the Olympic Swim Team before the Olympics and to compare the results of COVID and non-COVID athletes.

METHODS

Patient history, electrocardiogram, laboratory tests, body composition analysis, echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) were performed. We used time-ranking points to compare swimming performance.

RESULTS

From April 2019, we examined 46 elite swimmers (24 ± 4 years). Fourteen swimmers had COVID infection; all cases were mild. During CPET there was no difference in the performance of COVID (male: VO2 max 55 ± 4 vs. 56.5 ± 5 mL/kg/min, p = 0.53; female: VO2 max 54.6 ± 4 vs. 56 ± 5.5 mL/kg/min, p = 0.86) vs. non-COVID athletes (male VO2 max 56.7 ± 5 vs. 55.5 ± 4.5 mL/kg/min, p = 0.50; female 49.6 ± 3 vs. 50.7 ± 2.6 mL/kg/min, p = 0.47) between 2019 and 2021. When comparing the time results of the National Championships, 54.8% of the athletes showed an improvement (p = 0.75).

CONCLUSIONS

COVID infection with short-term detraining did not affect the performance of well-trained swimmers. According to our results, the COVID pandemic did not impair the effectiveness of the preparation for the Tokyo Olympics.

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus Pandemic on Physical Activity, Mental Health and Quality of Life in Professional Athletes-A Systematic Review

Due to the rapid rate of spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, a number of restrictions have been introduced into public spaces, including those related to the operation of sports facilities, compounding the difficulty for athletes to conduct appropriate forms of training. The aim of this study was to review current scientific reports assessing the impact of the pandemic on the physical activity, mental state, and quality of life of professional athletes. Popular scientific databases—PubMed, Scopus, and Embase—were systematically searched from the beginning of the pandemic until 12 July 2021. According to the adopted criteria, 14 articles were included in the review. Ten of the qualified studies determined the impact of the pandemic on the physical activity of athletes. The authors of 11 papers assessed the mental state and quality of life of athletes during the pandemic. The studies showed negative effects of the pandemic: a decrease in overall physical fitness and number of days and hours of training, as well as an increase in the occurrence of negative emotions (stress, fatigue, and depression) and a decrease in sleep quality. Changes in physical activity had an impact on overall well-being ratings, which depended on the sex of the subjects. Women were more likely to experience negative emotions compared to men. The mental state of the athletes affected the quality of sleep. This review summarises the negative effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic on the physical and mental health of professional athletes.

Competitive anxiety or Coronavirus anxiety? The psychophysiological responses of professional football players after returning to competition during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the relationship between competitive anxiety, fear/anxiety of COVID-19, and autonomic and endocrine stress responses in professional football players after returning to competition during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Ninety male professional football players (age: 26.33 ± 2.48 yr) volunteered to participate in this study, which included an official competition. Psychophysiological responses, including the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, and the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 Revised, were collected 30 min before the competition. In addition, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary cortisol (sCort) were collected at 8 a.m. and 15 min before the competition.

RESULTS

The main findings, based on the Pearson correlation, showed significant positive correlations between COVID-19 anxiety and somatic competitive anxiety (p = 0.01), cognitive competitive anxiety (p = 0.01), and competition response of sCort and sAA (p = 0.01). Moreover, fear of COVID-19 was positively correlated with COVID-19 anxiety (p = 0.01). On the contrary, the awakening response of sCort and sAA was not found to be correlated with psychological parameters (all p > 0.05). The analysis also indicated that there was no significant correlation between self-confidence with other psychological and physiological variables (all p > 0.05). The regression analysis showed that cognitive anxiety was a relevant predictor for the competition response of sCort and sAA (p < 0.05). Moreover, COVID-19 anxiety was the only predictor of somatic and cognitive anxiety (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provides the first preliminary evidence that COVID-19 anxiety and competitive anxiety might pose a negative impact on the athletic performance of professional football players during COVID-19 pandemic competitions. Thus, research is needed to build a strategy to reduce the psychophysiological stress related to COVID-19 and competition response.

Disordered eating & body image of current and former athletes in a pandemic; a convergent mixed methods study - What can we learn from COVID-19 to support athletes through transitions?

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen worsened mental health as a result of lockdowns, isolation and changes to sociocultural functioning. The postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is representative of global cancellations of sporting events, reduced facility access and support restrictions that have affected both current and former athlete's psychological wellbeing. This study aimed to determine whether current (n = 93) and former (n = 111) athletes experienced worsened body image, relationship with food or eating disorder symptomatology during acute COVID-19 transitions.

METHODS

The study was a Convergent Mixed Methods design whereby qualitative content analysis was collected and analysed simultaneously with quantitative cross-sectional data using the EAT-26 and self-report COVID-19 questions. Data were collected from April until May 2020 to capture data pertaining to transitions related to the pandemic and included individuals across 41 different individual and team sports from club to international competition levels.

RESULTS

There was a surge in disordered eating in current and former athletes as a result of the early COVID-19 response. Eating disorders were suggested to occur in 21.1% of participants (18% current athletes n = 17, 25% former athletes (n = 26). There was a significant difference between males and females (p = 0.018, r = 0.17), but interestingly no differences between groups from individual vs team sports, type of sporting category (endurance, antigravitational, ball sport, power, technical and aesthetic) or level of competition (club, state, national or international). 34.8% (n = 69) self-reported worsened body image and 32.8% (n = 65) self-reported a worsened food relationship directly from COVID-19. Qualitative analysis indicated that disordered eating occurred predominantly in the form of body preoccupation, inhibitory food control, fear of body composition changes and binge eating.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that transitions in COVID-19 have worsened food-body relationships in current and former athletes and must be treated as an at-risk time for eating disorder development. We suggest that resources are allocated appropriately to assist athletes to foster psychologically positive food and body relationships through COVID-19 transitions. This study makes practice suggestions in supporting athletes to manage control, seek support, adapt and accept change and promote connection and variety through athletic transitions.