As far as I'm concerned the data has for a long time said that Covid typically causes lasting damage, it's just that for most people it's at a subclinical level

As far as I'm concerned the data has for a long time said that Covid typically causes lasting damage, it's just that for most people it's at a subclinical level. If this were not the case why do we see rising odds for Long Covid with repeated infections? If there's no lasting damage and it's facing a more tuned-in immune system the expected result would be a lower incidence. And we see athletes with higher rates of Long Covid than the population at large. Or do we? That could also be explained by athletes being more aware of where their limits are and are used to pushing themselves to those limits--hence they are more aware of impairment.