The Spanish Olympic Committee have launched an athlete employment programme ©COE

Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) President Alejandro Blanco has launched an “Athletes Employment Programme” which will aim to create a network of companies to find jobs for their elite athletes. 

Blanco welcomed the initiative, which has been developed in collaboration with consultancy firm PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) and the Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia, which he hopes will help athletes both in training and employment.

The programme is also receiving the support of national publishing firm Unidad Editorial, who publish the El Mundo, Expansión and Marca newspapers.

At least 200 jobs are set to be created as a result of the programme over the next four years, which the COE believe will build upon the success of the Bertelsmann media company, which has so far hired 10 athletes in various roles.

The athletes have also been able to utilise their facilities and combine their sporting life, while maintaining a professional career.

Several Presidents of National Federations attended an event to discuss the scheme at COE headquarters, to show their commitment to the project.

Among them were Athletes Association chief Antonio Garcia Plata, Alfonso Reyes of the Association of Professional Basketball Players, Jose Luis De Santos from the Association of Professional Cyclists and Fe Robles, from the Spanish Football Players Association.

Alejandro Blanco hopes the programme helps athletes both in training and in employment
Alejandro Blanco hopes the programme helps athletes both in training and in employment ©COE

Plata, who is also President of the Association of Soccer Players, praised the proposal and claimed the scheme was needed to help provide guarantees to athletes regarding employment following their retirement from the professional arena, an area which often causes concern.

The COE claim the idea was born after athletes expressed their needs, with healthcare issues also to be considered.

Additionally, PWC President Gonzalo Sanchez reflected that several of the common traits of sportsmen and women transfer to the workplace setting, including striving for excellence, teamwork and leadership.



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