Athletes urged to plan for their post-retirement career

Workshop organised for athletes by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya Athletes Commission will Tuesday focus on matters affecting the athletes in their careers.

The committee has been vocal in urging the athletes to consider a realistic transitional plan in a bid to shore up their fortunes after retirement from sport.

The two-day event kicked off on Monday at the Kenyatta University Conference Centre with mental health dominating the event even as the officials emboldened the athletes to speak out about their mental health issues.

Earlier this month, NOC-K signed an agreement with the Chiromo Hospital Group that will see the Level 5 specialized mental health hospital extend its services to athletes in a campaign dubbed Tufunguke Wanaspoti.

While opening the workshop, NOC-K second deputy president, Waithaka Kioni said athletes’ well-being was their top priority.

“Safeguarding of athletes is a big priority of the executive and the Olympic movement in this quadrennial.

“This is the reason we have got into a partnership with Chiromo Hospital Group to provide mental health training, awareness and support to athletes. We’d like our athletes to be as mentally fit as they are physically fit,” Kioni, who is also the Kenya Volleyball Federation president, said.

NOC-K athletes’ representative and chairman of the athletes’ commission, Humphrey Kayange took athletes through the topic “Athletes at the center of the Olympic movement”.

He shared initiatives and programs within the Olympic movement to support athletes. Some of these include the Career+ Training, Athlete365 program, Safeguarding programs, World Olympians Association.

In addition to Olympic Solidarity programs including scholarships for athletes which has benefited some athletes in Kenya and where more will benefit heading to Paris 2024.

Kayange elaborated extensively on Athlete 365 Post Career Planning (Career +).

“This is an IOC program which supports athletes while preparing for career transition. The Career+ provides athletes with the resources and training required to develop life skills, maximise education and employment opportunities. We encourage all athletes to subscribe to the Athlete 365 online platform which offers a lot of free training resources, and pass this information to your teammates.”

Clean sports is another important topic that the Athletes Commission is prioritizing in any and all athletes' forums.

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) took the athletes through clean sports in the day one program where Charles Omondi and Dr. Festus Kiplamai made the athletes aware on the anti-doping rules, criteria for doing tests as well as the importance of knowing what the agency’s mandate is in as far as sports in Kenya is concerned.