A life in elite sport can bring money, structure, purpose and success. In fact, interspersed with wide media coverage, it can generate myths that serve as examples of life and that are even capable of giving meaning to the existence of others. Retiring Shouldn’t Be an Easy Task and, in fact, this can constitute one of the toughest challenges athletes face.
Many athletes have admitted that leaving high competition was a difficult path. In the UFC, the current case of Dustin Poirier is paradigmaticwho retired a few months ago and who revealed in recent weeks that he was having difficulty adapting to his new life. Without training and without competition, he does not find his place and abuses alcohol.
To the surprise of some, this subject was very present in Ilia Topuria’s interview with Marca, where she made it clear that leaving elite sport is not an “easy” task. “There comes a time when it’s time to do it, you know? I understand that there are many people who never want me to retire, that they can always watch TV on a Saturday night or travel and watch me compete…but Ultimately, I believe that in sports we all have an expiration date, and mine will undoubtedly arrive.. And don’t think this is an easy internal conversation,” the fighter admitted.
Topuria himself explained in the same interview the reason for this difficulty, emphasizing that routines and goals, that is, what structures life, change. “Sometimes I thought about it, about what my life would be like when I had to retire from sports, when I didn’t have this routine that I’m used to. Since I have been, I think I have a conscience, to get up, to train, to do my diet. And although always always Throughout my life, I will give priority to sport and I will always take care of my body and my health.but it’s not going to happen the same way, right? It will no longer be about improving myself, it will no longer be about breaking records, breaking barriers, I will have a different approach,” stressed the fighter.
These thoughts came in the middle of the separation process between Ilia and Georgina Uzcateguiwhich forced the fighter to temporarily withdraw. This situation has become complicated in recent days, during which Ilia Topuria issued a statement in which He claims to be a victim of extortion by his ex-wife, who accuses him of mistreatment.
Beyond the prejudices that circulate around MMA, it is once again establishing itself as a sport. At the end of the day Topuria’s concerns relate to the experience of many other colleagues who have asked similar questions.. Ultimately, what happens to money, structure, purpose and success after elite sport? Or, as filmmakers Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett put it in their 1950s classic, what’s it like to live in the twilight of the gods?
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