Professional Athletes

Background: Pregnancy can be a special but potentially stressful time for women. The routine life of female athletes who become pregnant may be challenged, and professional athletes may be more likely to experience psychological disorders during this time.Aim: The objective of this study was to compare the stress, anxiety, and depression levels in professional and novice pregnant athletes.Materials and Methods: 106 female volleyball players (42 professional and 64 novices) were selected as the research sample, based on their competitive levels and study participation criteria. Data were collected using a personal information form and the DASS-21 questionnaire developed by Lovibond 1995.Results: The results of the MANOVA test showed that pregnant professional athletes had significantly higher levels of stress and depression compared to pregnant novice athletes (P≤0.05). Although professional athletes had higher levels of anxiety than novice female athletes, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups on this scale (P≤ 0.05).Conclusion: It seems that female athletes at high competitive levels experience increased psychological challenges because of the added responsibilities of motherhood, in addition to their sports commitments. It is recommended to prioritize physical and psychological interventions and strategies to enhance the mental well-being of these individuals.

The aim of this quantitative research was to examine and compare the retirement experiences of retired athletes from selected sports federations in Iran and Iraq. Using the snowball sampling method, 188 retired professional athletes (103 from Iran and 85 from Iraq) were selected from team sports and individual sports. The research data were collected using the Sport Career Termination Questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. The results indicated significant difference between the sport career length of the athletes of both groups; there was a significant difference between the sport career termination reasons of two groups; there was a significant difference between the retirement problems in two groups; there was a significant difference between the two groups in the amount of support received by the athletes during the retirement period, and significant difference existed between the level of retirement satisfaction in the two groups. It is recommended that sports authorities in Iran and Iraq pay more attention to retired athletes, strive to address the issues and challenges of their retirement course, and provide programs aimed at developing skills and job competencies for retired athletes. In particular, it is recommended that Iraqi sports authorities maximize the utilization of retired athletes within the country’s sports structure and implement effective programs for the prevention and treatment of sports injuries among athletes. Future researchers are encouraged to employ both longitudinal and qualitative research methods to gain a better and richer understanding of sports retirement.

Objective : This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of Sportspersonship, competitive anger, and aggression among professional and recreational female football players in Iran. Method: Utilizing an applied, causal-comparative design, data were collected from 330 participants—150 professional players from the Iranian Women’s Premier League and 180 recreational players active in Tehran. Three validated instruments were employed: the Sportspersonship Questionnaire Vallerand and Brière (1), the Competitive Anger Scale Maxwell and Moores (2) and the Aggression Questionnaire Buss and Perry (3). statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 24. One Sample T-Test and independent t-test were used. Results : The findings of the study showed that the levels of aggression, anger, and violence in professional and recreational female soccer players are significantly higher than average. There is a significant difference between the levels of anger and violence among professional and recreational female soccer players. The results revealed that professional players exhibited significantly higher levels of competitive anger than recreational players. However, no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of Sportspersonship. Conclusions : These findings underscore the need for targeted psychological and behavioral interventions to address competitive anger and promote ethical behavior, particularly in professional women’s football. Emphasizing Sportspersonship and ethical conduct can contribute to a healthier sporting culture and mitigate the normalization of aggressive behaviors in both competitive and recreational contexts.