The article is devoted to the assessment of the subjective right of an athlete to participate in competitions. It is noted that there is no special "right to engage in sport" or "right to participate in competitions," which is quite logical, since such opportunities are included in the content of other fundamental rights and freedoms or derive from them. Emphasis is placed on the existence of a problem of balance between the rights and obligations of athletes, and their harmonious and consistent distribution within the framework of relations under the relevant contract (both when assessed as labor and as civil law relations). Regardless of how the rights and obligations of the parties to the contract on the athlete's participation in competitions are formulated, it is quite difficult to recognize that such a clause in itself gives rise to the opportunity to go to and participate in particular competitions. It is concluded that the current legislation, including the Constitution of the Russian Federation, does not provide for or guarantee the subjective right of an athlete to participate in competitions.