Scroll through any athlete’s phone and you will find a stream of training clips, medal photos and highlight reels. For young sportspeople, that content can be a source of inspiration, but it can also become a daily reminder of everyone who seems to be doing better. A new study from Türkiye asked athletes how sport on social media really makes them feel.

Researchers at Yozgat Bozok University interviewed 20 athletes who had competed for at least two years. The findings appear in BMC Psychology. The 11 men and 9 women were aged 18 to 27 and took part in sports including football, volleyball, wrestling, handball, boxing, athletics, bodybuilding and gymnastics.

The athletes took part in detailed one to one interviews about the sport content they see online and the posts they share themselves. The team then looked for themes that ran through their accounts. This qualitative approach aims to capture how people experience something in their own words, rather than measuring it with numbers.

Six themes emerged. Many athletes said sport content lifted their mood, motivation and self-confidence, and that watching skilled performers helped them learn new techniques. Several described studying Olympic champions and top Turkish athletes closely, copying their preparation and calm under pressure.

The same content had a darker side. Posts celebrating wins, medals and peak performance led some athletes to compare themselves unfavourably, feel pressure to keep up and doubt their own ability. The athletes described this as a double effect on performance, pushing them forward on some days and holding them back on others.

The athletes were also sceptical viewers. They questioned whether posts were genuine, who had made them and whether they were really designed to earn money or attract views. Some pointed out that producing polished content requires cameras, editing skills and time, which puts athletes with less money at a disadvantage.

Posts by successful national athletes stirred pride and a sense of belonging. When it came to hostile or hurtful comments, athletes coped by ignoring them, not taking them too seriously, talking to people close to them and turning towards more positive content.

The researchers suggest that coaches and sports clubs should help athletes use social media more consciously, linking them with positive role models and teaching them to limit posts that trigger comparison. Building digital media skills and good support networks may help athletes deal with online abuse.

The study has limits. It involved only 20 athletes from one country, and the findings reflect their personal views rather than measured effects on performance or mental health. Future work could compare sports, genders and levels of competition.

Social media now plays a large part in the lives of athletes at every level. This study suggests it can be both a coach and a critic, depending on how it is used.