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Socio-emotional, cognitive, and behavioral learning are emphasized by UNESCO as being essential to the advancement of sustainability. Sports are big events that have a big social, economic, and environmental impact. This study examined the socio-emotional competitiveness of elite Colombian Olympic and Paralympic athletes in relation to their academic background, gender, age, sport type, and modality. Methods: Colombian elite athletes who were members of the “Support to the Excellence Coldeportes Athlete” participated in the study. The total population studied included 334 Colombian elite athletes: mean age 27.10 ± 6.57 years old with 13.66 ± 6.37 years practicing his/her sports modality. The socio-emotional competencies of the participants were assessed using the Socio-emotional Competencies Scale (SECS). Results: In the areas of conflict resolution, emotional control, self-awareness, and interpersonal regulation, men performed better than women. Athletes under 25 years old showed more self-consciousness. Sports, whether individual or team, did not differ. Higher levels of drive, self-awareness, cooperation, and emotional control were displayed by Paralympians. Athletes with a university education demonstrated more drive, self-awareness, empathy, and collaboration. Every competency showed a favorable correlation. Conclusion: Tailored interventions aimed at enhancing socio-emotional functioning are essential for sustainability and should consider variations in gender, age, level of education, and handicap status. The article aims to facilitate and optimize the creation of specific programs to help Olympic and Paralympic athletes in their preparation through socio-emotional competences. Full article

The promise of the Rio 2016 Games was to influence the entire population of Brazil, but the major impact was expected to be on children and the youth. The development of youth education programs promoting Olympic and Paralympic values was one of the main commitments that organizers made in 2009 to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This article draws on the available literature on Olympic and Paralympic education and youth engagement and examines several of such programs previously implemented in such host cities as Beijing, Vancouver, and London. The purpose was to explore the ways in which implementing such educational legacy programs by the Rio 2016 and other sporting mega-event organizers can inspire and sustain youth engagement. The inductive thematic analysis was applied in the close examination of the content, strategies, and outcomes of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic education program. The results suggest that to leave an enduring youth legacy, policymakers, future mega-event organizers, and educators need to understand it as a continued endeavor beyond the hosting period and embed the related educational efforts into broader educational and youth-focused structures. This article also outlines lessons for youth engagement that can be drawn from Rio’s and other host cities’ Olympic and Paralympic education practices. Full article