Which outcome is a potential effect of deviance on an athlete's career prospects?

• A. Improved sponsorships.
• B. No change in opportunities.
• C. Loss of sponsorships or reduced opportunities.
• D. Automatic selection to national teams.

Answer: (C)

Deviance can damage an athlete's career prospects by harming reputation and marketability. When an athlete violates rules, codes of conduct, or ethical norms, sponsors worry about the association with negative behavior, and teams worry about reliability and image. That can lead to sponsorship withdrawals or reductions, fewer endorsement deals, and fewer opportunities to compete at top-level events, all of which directly shrink career prospects. In contrast, the idea of improved sponsorships or unchanged opportunities ignores the reputational and sanction-related risks that typically accompany deviant behavior, and automatic selection to national teams is unlikely because national programs usually enforce conduct standards and can revoke or withhold selection based on such issues.