Countries all over the globe have implemented mandatory social distancing measures in an attempt to suppress and control the spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This enforced period of isolation, disruption to normal training routines and competition cancellation, could be having an adverse effect on the mental health and wellbeing of athletes. This study sought to explore the perceived impact of the COVID-19 social distancing measures on athlete wellbeing. Fourteen elite athletes who were unable to train or compete due to government imposed lockdown measures were recruited to participate in this qualitative study. Utilising the photo elicitation method, participants were asked to take a series of photographs that represented their experiences as athletes living in lockdown. These photographs were used to guide discussions in follow up unstructured interviews. Reflexive inductive thematic analysis identified three main themes that captured athletes’ experience of social distancing measures and the implications for their wellbeing: (1) threats to wellbeing; (2) adapting routines and maintaining motivation; and (3) reflecting on participation in competitive elite sport. The initial sudden loss of sport in the athlete’s lives posed a threat to their wellbeing, but over the duration of the lockdown period the athletes developed numerous strategies to protect their wellbeing. Furthermore, their time away from sport encouraged them to reflect on their athletic identity and to make life changes that would protect their wellbeing during the rest of the lockdown period and when they returned to sport. A number of immediate practical recommendations are offered for athlete support personnel working with athletes during the crisis, these include developing self-care strategies and social networks, adapting routines, setting new goals and encouraging the pursuit of dual-careers. Future research is encouraged to investigate how practitioners can deliver effective psychological support through tele-consulting, and to consider whether their support is best focused on therapeutic counselling or mental skills training during the pandemic.

全球各国都实施了强制性的社会疏远措施，试图抑制和控制冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的传播。这种强制隔离、正常训练程序中断和比赛取消可能会对运动员的心理健康和福祉产生不利影响。本研究旨在探讨 COVID-19 社交距离措施对运动员健康的影响。招募了 14 名因政府实施的封锁措施而无法训练或比赛的精英运动员来参加这项定性研究。利用照片启发法，参与者被要求拍摄一系列照片，代表他们作为生活在封锁中的运动员的经历。这些照片用于指导后续非结构化访谈中的讨论。反思性归纳主题分析确定了三个主要主题，捕捉了运动员对社交距离措施的体验及其对其福祉的影响：（1）对福祉的威胁；(2) 调整常规并保持动力；(3)反思参与竞技精英运动。运动员生活中最初突然失去运动对他们的健康构成了威胁，但在封锁期间，运动员制定了许多策略来保护他们的健康。此外，远离运动的时间鼓励他们反思自己的运动员身份，并做出生活改变，以保护他们在封锁期间的剩余时间和重返运动时的健康。为危机期间与运动员一起工作的运动员支持人员提供了许多直接实用的建议，其中包括制定自我保健策略和社交网络、调整日常工作、设定新目标以及鼓励追求双重职业。鼓励未来的研究调查从业者如何通过远程咨询提供有效的心理支持，并考虑他们的支持是否最好集中在大流行期间的治疗咨询或心理技能培训上。