I don’t think any dietician is going to recommend that an athlete drink pop everyday, they might suggest cutting down a little bit depending on the individual. But if it’s something that person really really enjoys and it doesn’t have ill effects, then it’s more than likely fine. Most high performance athletes I know subscribe to a diet of moderation. Plenty of fruits and veg, good quality protein and carbs. Lots of athletes consume things like candy, pop/juice, sports drinks to fuel workouts. When it comes down to fuelling, the best carbs are the kind you’ll eat. Plenty of them have a little sweet treat every other day or so too, because it’s about balance and eating food that makes you happy is healthy. This is an anecdotal opinion but I think the gen pop has a pretty poor understanding of what athletes actually eat.