A cross-cultural comparison of the transition out of elite sport: An investigation across the Swiss, Danish, and Polish elite sports contexts

This PhD thesis investigates the transition out of elite sport from a holistic and ecological perspective. The framework that guided this project was developed based on sport developmental and transition models and focus on the influence of the macro-level (e.g., culture, welfare system) and the meso-level (e.g., sports system, dual career possibilities) on athletes’ transition and the consequences of athletic retirement. In this project, the transition of former elite athletes from Switzerland, Denmark, and Poland was compared in terms of preconditions, adaptation quality, and life situation after finishing the elite sport career. Furthermore, interviews with experts in athletic dual career were conducted in all three countries to describe the national dual career environments and to better understand the embedded underlying assumptions how to support athletes in their efforts to combine elite sport with education or work. Applying a cultural praxis, this thesis emphasizes the importance to consider the socio-cultural context when studying athletes’ careers and transitions.