Psychological Sustainability in Elite Sport: Implications for Olympic Preparation

Abstract

In recent years, the science of sustainability has evolved in alignment with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to achieve a more just and sustainable world across various domains, including the environment, economy, society, and health and well-being. The International Olympic Committee has also established sustainability guidelines related to Olympic sports and athletes’ mental health. Additionally, the sustainability of sports training has already been explored, and the psychology of sustainability has generated a significant body of literature. This cultural and scientific movement has led to the emergence of the concept of psychological sustainability in elite sport, which can be defined as athletes’ capacity to maintain mental well-being, cognitive functioning, emotional resilience, and adaptive performance over time, particularly in response to environmental, social, training, and competitive stressors. This article revisits the existing literature to explore the connections between sustainability and elite sport psychology, resulting in the development of a model of psychological sustainability in sports training. This model aims to balance training procedures in a way that enhances athletic performance while safeguarding athletes’ mental health. Within this framework, an approach to psychological preparation for the Olympic Games is discussed, taking into account its various preparatory phases.