Homepage

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. They are necessary for our website to function and cannot be switched off.
These cookies gather information to understand how visitors interact with the website, such as how many people are using our website of which pages are popular to help us improve user experience. Switching off these cookies will mean that we cannot gather information to improve the user experience.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by a third party provider whose services we have added to our website. Switching off these cookies mean that areas of our website cannot work properly.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site.

For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy.

Skip navigation
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
Popular content on our site
Prepare to “Find Your Greatness” as search for UK's future athletes gets underway The National Lottery operator Allwyn launches ChangeMakers fund for athletes as they make a difference back home Breadth of success targeted as British Olympic and Paralympic performance aspirations confirmed for Paris Investing in sport Strategic plan 2021-31
News

Olympic and Paralympic heroes offered guidance for life after sport

Published 27 October 2016

Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic heroes are being encouraged to consider career options after elite sport through a special Athlete Futures event at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Tuesday, 1 November.

 

Athlete Futures has attracted over 300 elite athletes while nearly 40 big businesses will be represented at the event including Aldi, Halfords, the Muller Group and Goldman Sachs.

 

In what is the only event of its kind, Athlete Futures has seen UK Sport, the English Institute of Sport (EIS), the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) join forces to help athletes identify opportunities that will make them job ready when they retire.

 

The event will be a day of tailored activity that will include keynote speeches, Q&A sessions and a series of workshops to help athletes plan for a career after elite sport.

 

Athlete Futures will see athletes introduced to businesses, potential employers and training providers to enable a more seamless transition when they retire from top level sport.

 

Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport who will host the event, said: “Our Olympic and Paralympic athletes dedicate years of their lives in the pursuit of excellence – to be the very best they can, to win on the world stage and to make the nation proud.

 

“On their journey they develop unique technical and personal qualities and skills that make them the best in the world. In the sporting world, they are undoubtedly our greatest asset.

 

“Given the opportunity they can also become a significant asset to the business world when they transition from their full time commitment to sport. This is a call to the business world to say you can grasp this opportunity by being a part of the athletes’ futures.”

 

Nigel Walker, National Director at the EIS, said: “The ability for athletes to make a positive difference does not stop when they decide to move on from their sport and they have much to offer the workplace and society in general due to their commitment to excellence, teamwork, focus and drive. I believe the Athlete Futures event can play an important part in ensuring athletes continue to be successful away from the sporting arena.

 

“Critically the event will be aimed not only at those athletes leaving the world class programme, but also current athletes to encourage them to begin to develop a post-sport plan and there will be workshops and sessions to cater for athletes at every stage of their sporting career.”

 

Bill Sweeney, British Olympic Association CEO, said: “At the British Olympic Association the Athletes’ Commission – led by Ben Hawes – supports athletes throughout their elite career with Team GB. Now more than ever we are also looking in detail to support the success of these athletes when their competition days come to an end. Which is why Athlete Futures is such a vital event for athletes irrespective of whether they are still in competition or not.

 

“These individuals have reached the top of their sporting profession through commitment to excellence, skill, determination and teamwork, qualities that would be an asset to any business, just as they have been an asset to their country from a sporting perspective.

 

“With a variety of leaders in the business industry attending, key note addresses and Q&A sessions, it promises to be an extremely productive day for all those in attendance.”

 

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the British Paralympic Association said: “This event comes at an important time for Paralympians who are keen to start exploring career opportunities outside of elite sport.

 

“We know that our athletes have succeeded at the very highest level by having many of the key attributes which are highly sought after by employers, and Athlete Futures is designed to inspire them to think more broadly about their careers and help them make some excellent contacts in the business world. We are pleased to be able to support this event and I hope our athletes in attendance gain a huge amount from the experience.”

Share
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

News

Participants of the UK Sport Athlete To Coach programme taking part in a fireside conversation
UK Sport launches new programmes to support coaching across the high-performance community
21 May 2025
Headshot of Professor Nick Webborn CBE
Professor Nick Webborn CBE appointed new Chair of UK Sport
19 May 2025
Decoration image with the logos of UK Sport and Weirdo
Transforming fan experience: UK Sport introduces new engagement strategies for Olympic and Paralympic sports
15 May 2025
Looking to work in sport?
Find or advertise sports jobs in the UK
Search now
Our funders
  • Funded by UK Government
  • TNL partners
Who we work with
  • British Olympic Association
  • Paralympics GB
  • Logo of the UK Sports Institute
  • Sport England
  • Sport Northern Ireland
  • Sport Wales
  • Sport Scotland
  • Logo of the British Elite Athletes Association
  • Logo for UK Coaching
  • Logo of Sport Resolutions
Sitelogo
Sitemap
  • Homepage
  • About us
  • Our work
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
  • Resources
  • Jobs in sport
  • Website terms and privacy policy
  • Editorial policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of Information
  • Welsh language scheme
  • FAQs
Contact
UK Sport
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
E: info@uksport.gov.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7211 5100
Follow us
Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn

© Copyright UK Sport 2025