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Overview
Professional athletes take part in competitions, attend structured training, apply technical and tactical skills, assess performance and adapt lifestyle around recovery and preparation.
In job descriptions or contracts, look for the sport discipline, competition schedule, training sessions, coaches, performance assessment, media duties, team relationships and career-management expectations.
Explore this occupation
Search jobsWhat the work can involve
Professional athletes organize working life around training, competition and recovery. The role combines sport-specific technique, tactical preparation, performance review, coach feedback and disciplined routines that support event readiness.
Skills and specializations
Useful depth includes rules of the sport, technical execution, tactical decisions, physical development, training participation, performance assessment and career management. Some roles add media contact, sponsor duties or team relationship work.
Salary context
Salary context depends on discipline, competition level, contract structure, performance expectations, event calendar, media or sponsor obligations, team status and responsibility for managing the sporting career.
Career paths
Career paths can move from athlete development into senior competition, team leadership, coaching, trainer roles, sport administration, media work or transition planning for work after active competition.
Good to know
Check whether contracts or adverts name the discipline, training load, competition schedule, coaching setup, performance review process, media duties, team obligations and support for injury or transition planning.
Editorial note
This guide is editorial career context, not official labour-market statistics or role-specific pay data.
Where might this occupation occur?
This occupation may occur in several kinds of economic activity. Here are some examples and other occupations that may be found in the same areas.
Sports activities n.e.c.
This is one example. Other occupations in this activity include sports official, outdoor animator and outdoor activities coordinator.
Explore this activityThese examples offer an overview but do not show every economic activity where the occupation may occur.
About this information
The selection is based on how occupations are connected to economic activities in ESCO and NACE. Only a few examples are shown to make the information easier to use. The occupations were selected because they are close in occupation area and important skills. The examples are not a ranking. They do not show where most people work, where demand is highest, or which occupation is best suited to a particular person.
Map overview
Click the map to search for professional athlete jobs.
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O*NET relationships
See occupations connected to this ESCO occupation in the official O*NET–ESCO mapping. The relationship type comes from the source and is not a ranking or recommendation.
O*NET relationships: 1
Athletes and Sports Competitors
27-2021.00
Exact relationship
The official mapping treats the O*NET and ESCO occupations as closely equivalent.
Open in O*NETSource and method
These relationships come from the official European Commission O*NET–ESCO crosswalk.
Relationship direction: O*NET occupation to ESCO occupation.
Several O*NET occupations can point to the same ESCO occupation, and one O*NET occupation can point to several ESCO occupations.
AltoTrail preserves the source relationship type. The order is technical and does not show which occupation is best, most relevant or recommended.
AltoTrail validates and presents the source relationships without adding ranking or recommendation semantics.
NACE Rev. 2.1
Economic activities linked to this occupation.
93.19Sports activities n.e.c.
Alternative labels
cyclist
handball player
skater
race car driver
discus athlete
middle distance athlete
track and field athlete
sports player
long distance athlete
high jump athlete
basketball player
rugby player
sportswoman
hockey player
professional rugby player
professional surfer athlete
wrestler
aviation sport athlete
professional volleyball player
professional baseball player
professional sports player
roller skater
olympic athlete
golf player
horse rider
snowboarder
sportsman
motorcycle driver
professional basketball player
pole vault athlete
long distance runner
tennis player
javelin athlete
snow sports athlete
volleyball player
athlete
professional hockey player
bull fighter
long jump athlete
middle distance runner
skier
professional soccer player
professional football player
professional handball player
boxer
football player
Occupation group
Athletes and sports players (3421)
Source facts
| ESCO URI | http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/082c234c-0dda-490a-b5af-757c3e48da90 |
|---|---|
| ESCO code | 3421.1 |
| ISCO group | 3421 |
| Concept type | Occupation |