3rd TAGRA

Throughout human history, death has been interpreted not merely as the cessation of biological life, but as a multifaceted phenomenon shaped by concepts such as the unknown, fear, existence, the afterlife, and the quest for immortality. Human awareness of one's own mortality, combined with the lack of definitive knowledge regarding what follows death, has established it as a fundamental existential issue that societies have sought to explain and interpret throughout history. The religious, philosophical, cultural, and metaphysical approaches developed in response to this uncertainty have paved the way for viewing death not simply as an end, but within a realm of mystical meaning that opens onto diverse modes of existence, spiritual and otherworldly visions, and the pursuit of immortality. Indeed, the fear of death and the drive to explain the unknown have played a decisive role in shaping beliefs, rituals, symbols, and narratives concerning the afterlife across various eras and cultures. The individual's quest to understand death and the hereafter, alongside the desire for immortality, has persisted as a significant way of making sense of the enigma of death. Drawing upon the mystical, metaphysical, and cultural meanings death has acquired over time, this study aims to examine the mystical interpretation of death within the context of sports. It employs an interdisciplinary approach—grounded in relevant literature—to explore how fears regarding the unknown and annihilation, the concept of the afterlife, and the quest for immortality manifest within the realm of sports. This study, a conceptual review based on a literature survey, aims to provide a platform for discussing the relationship between sport and the layers of meaning that lie beyond the biological reality of death.