Amateur athletes, who have been forced to voluntarily restrain from activities for a long time due to the coronavirus outbreak, are getting increasingly concerned about their future employment. This has been revealed, along with other findings, in a survey conducted by a private organization.
Athletes will likely be forced to adopt a new lifestyle that calls for their own efforts, given the dwindling prospects of those trying to secure employment and corporate support for their continued athletic career.
Mynavi Corp. conducted a survey in May through June of its "Mynavi athlete career" service to assist in employment and career change for athletes, asking 373 active athletes about changes in their awareness caused by voluntary restraint on their activities. Those who selected the answer "Felt the need to do something other than sports" accounted for 53.7% of the total respondents. Multiple answers were permissible. Those who chose the answer "Thought seriously about what would become of me without sports" amounted to the second highest at 34.8%.
The number of people who newly registered with the "Mynavi athlete career" service in May was said to be about 1.8 times the figure recorded a year before. The chief of the Mynavi Athlete Career projects section said that this is partly because "the recognition level of the service has increased," adding that "an increasing number of athletes may have registered with the service fearing they may not be able to continue their careers." Mynavi will soon launch free seminars for athletes so that they will be able to also learn business manners.
Still, the developments of companies that would accept them remain uncertain. About 50 top-class athletes have registered with Athnavi, the employment assistance system of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), to find future employment. But briefing sessions where athletes and companies can get together cannot be held at the moment as infections are still prevalent.
Six such sessions were scheduled to be held from March to June, but all of them were canceled or postponed. Presuming that "the corporate interest in hiring athletes has cooled off this year," an official of JOC's career academy projects, is reportedly calling for registered athletes to conduct their own job-hunting activities besides though Athnavi.
Nanami Takenaka, 21, of Japan Women's College of Physical Education, who is a member of the national rhythmic gymnastics team called "Fairy Japan," returned home during the suspension of group training camp and spent many hours with her family. Recalling this period, she said: "I could deliberately ponder about the future and had many hours to talk with my family. I was able to learn manners that are necessary to function as a member of society." The JOC, for its part, intends to help athletes with their life plans by making such efforts as posting athletes' presentation videos on its website and devising measures to increase contacts between athletes and businesses.
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