Dalton Myers | Pay greater attention to athletes’ welfare

Advocacy group Global Athlete has released its 2020 Survey Results on athlete rights, athlete welfare and athlete representation, detailing key findings as part of its listening exercise.

The survey sought to ascertain the extent to which athletes’ rights, welfare and representation are taken into consideration by national and international sporting organisations, and the extent to which athletes have a voice in the decision-making in such organisations. While the major talking point from the survey has been that several elite athletes are not financially stable, the survey also looked at other variables related to athletes’ overall well-being. 491 athletes from 48 countries, representing all continents and across various disciplines, were surveyed.

While there are questions to be had about the methodology, it is worth noting that athletes do believe that, there is more to be done in addressing their well-being. As it relates to their welfare, athletes from the survey believe that while their rights are somewhat respected by the Olympic movement, sporting organisations can do more to support these rights. Greater support is also needed in areas such as mental health, sport career transition and ongoing medical care as well as retirement and other financial planning. There is a general belief from the survey respondents that not much attention is placed on these areas which results in a gap in critical areas, of athletes’ welfare.

Over 70 per cent of respondents stated that they do not receive an appropriate amount of compensation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or International Paralympic Committee (IPC). Additionally, 67 per cent said that they do not receive appropriate funding from their respective governments. Importantly, 58 per cent of the respondents do not consider themselves financially stable and believe they should be able to have the right to build and sell their brand at national competitions as well as at the Olympic and Paralympic levels. The athletes give many reasons to explain why they are not financially stable, including a lack of resources as well as an inability to save, or plan for their future because of insufficient funding.

BIGGER VOICE

Athletes also called for a greater say in the decision-making at all levels including Olympic/Paralympic as well as their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs). Interestingly, 91 per cent of respondents agree that athletes would be better protected if they work had together as a collective body.

There is a lot to take away from the survey but more research, and resultant recommendations are needed. While I am not sure of some variables (number of athletes from developed vs developing countries, male vs female, etc), I am sure the concerns globally are similar. Locally, athletes have complained about these same issues, including a lack of adequate facilities, financial support and general support for their overall well-being.

It is no secret that several of our national athletes across all disciplines struggle to get the support necessary to train and compete both locally and internationally. Additionally, majority of the Jamaican athletes seeking to represent the nation have to find part-time or in some cases full-time employment to be able to survive on a daily basis. I am not suggesting that it is the responsibility of government or private sector to fund every athlete’s dream but rather that a proper structure of funding sport may help mitigate some of the issues we face locally.

Across all sporting disciplines, the discussion surrounding health and wellness is vital, so is athlete transition, retirement and financial planning. Not many sportsmen and women have the support or knowledge in these areas and as a result, struggle in the long run. Locally, the Olympians Association of Jamaica has implemented measures to help retired Olympians; and while that is good, there is still a long way to go. Additionally, there are a few sports that are not currently on the Olympic roster and need that type of support for example, as netball, cricket, and squash.

The Global Athlete survey scratches the surface in terms of some of the issues facing athletes in developing countries like Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. Our challenges are further exacerbated by our small size, economic position, lack of financial resources and inadequate facilities. There are other issues to consider, such as the high cost of gear and equipment as well as import duties and taxes. As we move closer to another summer Olympic Games and Olympic quadrennial cycle, these are some things to consider if we want to continue supporting our athletes on their way to excellence.

Dalton Myers is a sport consultant and host of The Drive Phase Podcast. Email feedback to daltonsmyers@gmail.com or tweet @daltonsmyers