I guess it depends if you get to the pneumonia phase or not. If the virus gets to your lungs, there is a possibility of leaving a permanent damage. Make a google search, this possibility is real.
I searched for some articles about this on google, but it makes me confused. Some said it can be recovered in a few months, some said it will take several years, or even permanent.
So actually it makes sense if the sports players are really afraid of this coronavirus pandemic that has a possibility to destroy their careers.
But it will be better if we know the accurate information about this from a very credible source. Is the corona pneumonia effect really permanent or not?
There isn't really such thing as accurate information right now. Even doctors contradict each other. We'll get the right information months maybe years later after we observe the patients for enough time. Till then nobody can exactly know if the effects are permanent.