Survey on the Working Conditions of professional athletes in Europe

This survey on the working conditions of professional athletes in Europe will help the entire sporting community – teams, players, federations, agents, national governmental institutions and European institutions – better understand the current conditions under which professional sports people are employed, and where, if necessary, improvements are needed.

This survey is being undertaken by UNI Europa – a European trade union federation – and EU Athletes – The European Elite Athletes Association – an independent federation of player associations representing over 25.000 professional athletes across Europe, with the financial support from the European Commission, under the project “FOCUS ON ATHLETES”.

This study represents the first such investigation into the terms and working conditions of professional sports people and the largest to date. In 2008 the European Basketball Players Association carried out a similar study and the information from individual players greatly enhanced the knowledge of the sports sector among national associations, government and European institutions. It also highlighted the difficulties and challenging working conditions many of our affiliates’ members are employed under. This new study will widen the scope of its investigation and examine the employment and working conditions in the basketball, handball, rugby and ice hockey professions.

The data received by completing this survey will remain anonymous and will not be disclosed on an individual basis. However the overall picture of the employment and working conditions obtained through this survey will enable national associations and governments to address some of the negative conditions under which professional sportspeople operate.

With the future two year test phase for the European social dialogue in the sport sector, this survey will help us to provide the stakeholders with relevant information regarding the improvement of the working condition in professional sports in Europe.

With the expansion of the European Union, it is clear that more information is needed about the conditions of players in countries where no players association exists. It is also clear that, in order to make a comparison, information is needed about the current working conditions in countries with long established associations.

Thank you for your participation!

Jean-François REYMOND
General Secretary of EU Athletes