Social Protection of Athletes

OpenAlex ng

The welfare state rests on the responsibility of public authorities to protect individuals against social and economic risks throughout the life course. As social policy expands beyond traditional employment, the sports sector has gained prominence due to its professionalization, commercialization, and labour-intensive nature. Professional athletes' contractual dependency, income instability, career fragility, and limited social security coverage reveal that sport constitutes a distinct field raising specific labour law concerns. The debate over whether athletes are employees or hold a sui generis status directly affects their legal protection. While key elements of employment exist, features such as transfer systems and fixed-term contracts create deviations. Protection levels vary across welfare regimes and institutional settings. This study evaluates athletes' social protection within welfare state frameworks, comparatively analysing legal structures and identifying policy gaps.