OBJECTIVE: The aim: To identify the problems of exclusion of athletes from the sphere of labor law; characterize the main precarious practices in sports that are contrary to labor law, that lead to injury of athletes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: The research materials cover the analysis of scientific literature, legal acts and jurisprudence; comparison; synthesis; generalization. Empirical methods related to the statistics processing of reports of international and regional organizations (ILO, EU Athletes, European Commission, FICA, FIFPro, United Nations) serve to combine and graphically display information in the field of sports. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Precarious practices in sports are widespread; cover all athletes (from elite to non-professional); constitute a threat to the health and working capacity of athletes. A direct relationship has been revealed between the regulation of the labor of athletes and their physical and mental health. Failure to protect labor rights increases the risks of disability for athletes. The international community and national states should reduce the inclusion of the so-called "sports exemption" and create legal mechanisms for transferring the labor of athletes to the scope of labor law.