(MENAFNEditorial) Improved education for athletes to be part of London 2012 legacy, as World Academy of Sport and the International Baccalaureate announce global collaboration.
Project will provide flexible post-16 learning pathways for athletes; access to a top international qualification alongside pursuit of their sporting careers.
Need exists to improve education for elite athletes and to ensure that sporting bodies and governments prioritise the long-term futures of their athletes.
The World Academy of Sport (WAoS) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) have today announced a project to provide elite athletes across the world with the opportunity to obtain an internationally recognised education while advancing their sporting careers. The programme will offer young sportspeople the chance to study IB Diploma Programme courses and curriculum, delivered flexibly over a 3 or 4 year period, to fit around their training and travel commitments.
Research has found that athletes and their parents are concerned about the rigidity of current educational options. Evidence has also shown that while athletes prioritise their training requirements by deferring their post-16 education, many do not return to education upon retirement from sport. As a result, career progression is often an issue, and finding a way for athletes to have a viable career path, and "job security" is an industry-wide concern.
The initiative is supported by members from the international sporting community, including retired Olympic sprinter Frank Fredericks and IPC Ambassador Katrina Webb, along with International Sport Federation partners and IOC members.
Stakeholders are seeking further support and investment to provide scholarship funding for athletes' training and living expenses for the programme, to make a real difference to as many athletes' lives as possible.
Sir Philip Craven, President of the International Paralympic Committee, says: "With the Paralympics in full swing there is no better time to focus on the importance of creating an educational legacy for London 2012. With this project, we want to ensure that future athletes have the education, skills and knowledge to enable them to thrive beyond their athletic careers, and to continue to be successful role models and ambassadors for their sport."
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