OBSTACLES TO BE A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ATHLETE IN CHILE

Abstract

The massification of sports has made visible the interaction of various dimensions of performance that favor or hinder the development of high-performance athletes. Some of these are the social and cultural context in which athletes live, the influence of public policies on the long-term development of sports careers, the family environment, friends, coaches, as well as nutritional and psychological aspects. This qualitative study seeks to understand from the voice of athletes what are the aspects considered as obstacles to high performance in Chile. The results show that the obstacles are the lack of support, dual career, implementation to train and gender discrimination. It concludes by proposing new horizons for public policies in the framework of supporting athletes who take charge of solving these obstacles.