Understanding Lived Experience of Iranian Professional Athletes from COVID-19 Pandemic (A Phenomenological Approach)

Epidemics create a lot of social and behavioral changes in all areas, Sport is no exception. The aim of this study is Understanding Lived Experience of Iranian Professional Athletes from COVID-19 pandemic. The research was carried out by the qualitative method and through a phenomenological approach. The participants were 19 Iranian Professional Athletes that were selected from the purposeful sampling. Through deep and unstructured interviews, data were collected. data were analyzed by using the seven-step Diekelman et al`s (1989) approach. According to the data analysis, five categories of meanings were identified about the Lived Experience of Iranian Professional Athletes from the COVID-19 pandemic. They are: a) Mood swings and changes in personal habits, b) Change in lifestyle, c) revision in career, d) find Opportunities for activism, e) redefining the Social-economical functions. These concepts of experience in the life-world of Iranian Professional Athletes from COVID-19 pandemic are Constitutions of their social action. In the case of proper analysis and application, they can be helpful in better managing Professional sport in Epidemics situations.