Accumulated Educational Deficit Across Athletic Careers: Quantifying Socio-Professional Risks

Objectives. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the key indicators of Accumulated Educational Deficit (AED): role conflict, constrained developmental horizons, and socio-professional uncertainty across different stages of athletic careers, considering sport-type specificity. The ultimate goal was to substantiate evidence-based preventive support strategies. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 250 active athletes representing the national teams of Ukraine (N = 250). Participants were stratified by age (four groups) and sport type (team, cyclic, combat, and technical). Data were collected through a structured sociological survey using 5-point Likert scales. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s χ² test for association, and Cohen’s w to estimate the effect size. Results. The onset of AED intensification was observed in the 19–23 age group, where acute role conflict reached 45.0%. In terms of career duration, the critical phase corresponded to 9–12 years of participation (42.0% reporting substantial developmental constraints). Significant structural heterogeneity was identified: athletes in team sports reported role conflict three times more frequently (60.0%) than athletes in cyclic sports (20.0%). A “delayed awareness” effect was detected, with peak dissatisfaction regarding personal development (37.5%) emerging only after 17–20 years of athletic participation, subsequently translating into explicit professional insecurity among 29.4% of athletes aged 35+. The highest demand for educational grant support was determined in the 19–23 age group (81.0%). Conclusions. Accumulated Educational Deficit represents a measurable systemic risk embedded within elite sport structures and significantly affects the quality of transition to post-sport life. The findings support the implementation of flexible dual-career models and targeted educational funding mechanisms aligned with international frameworks (e.g., NCAA Degree Completion Awards; Erasmus+ Sport). Such interventions may mitigate long-term socio-professional vulnerability by enabling parallel development of transferable competencies.