Athlete Development, Athlete Rights and Athlete Welfare: A European Union Perspective

Abstract

The issue of athlete 'dual careers' in Two principal rationales exist for the protection of athletes' access to education and vocational training, namely (a) a rights-based discourse in which athletes are seen to be denied access to education and vocational training which are protected for other workers or citizens; and (b) a performance-based discourse in which the athlete's ability to perform in athletic terms is enhancedby virtue of their access to educational opportunities. The paper reviews the relevance of these two rationales, and argues that although the EU engagement with dual careers might rest not on a sports competence but on prior competences relating to workers' rights and the protection of minors, the identifying of a performance rationale for supporting dual careers may be important in terms of engaging coaches and administrators

Factors impacting carded athlete's readiness for dual careers

“…This is particularly important as many athletes within the current study described situations where they were actively discouraged, and in some cases prevented, from exploring opportunities outside of their chosen sport. Some researchers have suggested that as revenue is often contingent on obtaining international sporting success, coaches and administrators are far more determined to achieve positive results than create well-rounded athletes (Henry, 2013;Murphy, Petitpas, & Brewer, 1996). Therefore, despite the NZAS championing the ideals of holistic athlete development, its' policy of performance-based funding may be severely limiting the likelihood of this actually occurring.…”

“…Rather, some studies have actually suggested that developing one's personal and sporting self simultaneously fosters excellence that would not be possible with just a singular focus (Carless & Douglas, 2012Henry, 2013;Lally, 2007;Miller & Kerr, 2003). Price et al (2010) found that time away from the rigours of competitive sport provided athletes with both mental and physical rejuvenation.…”

The relationship between dual-career and post-sport career transition among elite athletes in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe

“…Even though high performance in elite sport exposes student-athletes to great experiences, it requires a vast commitment at the cost of education, work, family, and other interests in life (Crook & Robertson, 1991). Research in higher education (Aries, McCarthy, Salovey, & Banaji, 2004;Henry, 2013) and sport psychology (Kim & Moen, 2002;Lotysz & Short, 2004;Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004) demonstrates that elite athletes compete at the highest levels of athletic performance as a result of a long-term psychological and physical commitment to training and competition. Wylleman and Lavallee (2004) observed that elite athletes do not only strive to reach the top but also remain at the top in elite sport.…”

Análisis de las barreras percibidas por los deportistas de élite españoles para acceder a los estudios

“…Algunos factores deportivos también afectan al abandono escolar en los deportistas de éli-te (Aquilina y Henry, 2010). Por ejemplo, la edad de máximo rendimiento (temprana o tardía); las características propias de la competición (calendario y su frecuencia); la economía del deporte (amateur o profesional) junto con los servicios de apoyo prestados por otros agentes (Consejo Superior de Deportes, Comité Olímpicos, Federaciones, Clubes…) determinan las limitaciones inherentes al tipo de deporte que afectan al deportista (Henry, 2013;North y Lavalle, 2004).…”