The IBU Executive Board approved the Dual Career Policy in June 2022 and its strategy in February 2023. The IBU aims to promote and support the athletes' preparation for their life after the biathlon career in terms of education and/or work. The goal is to raise awareness and to create opportunities for athletes to combine elite sport and education/work flexibly without compromising either objective.

The main goal is to motivate the athletes to think about their careers after biathlon. For this reason, the IBU will create educational programs and scholarships within the IBU Academy. Building a platform of information exchange about dual-career options is another objective of this project.

Running projects for athletes:

1. NFs Development Support - 'Athletes recruitment after sport career'

2. Mentorship programme for former female athletes

Please find the IBU Dual Career Policy here:

IBU Dual Career Strategy

On the 6th of July 2022, the IBU held an Athletes Webinar on the topic of dual-career and options for biathletes for their life after sports career.

• Find the Story here: Biathlonworld.com - Story Athletes Webinar 2022

• Please find the videos of the Athletes Webinar on the IBU Youtube Channel: IBU Athletes Webinar - Dual Career 2022 - YouTube

• Details on the IBU Coach Education can be found here: Biathlonworld.com - IBU Coach Education

• Please find information on the IOC Program "Athlete 365" here: Biathlonworld.com - Athlete 365

POLICY

The Dual Career Policy of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) aims to promote and support the athletes' preparation for their life after the biathlon career in terms of education and/or work.

DEFINITION

The IBU defines a dual career as providing resources to raise awareness and create opportunities in order to support athletes to combine their biathlon career with education and/or work flexibly, without compromising either objective.

VISION

The IBU believes that a sustainable dual career program creates the possibility for talented, professional, and elite athletes to simultaneously build an educational or job path within a sports career and develop leaders who will serve all biathlon sectors in the future.

SCOPE

• IBU AS AN ORGANISATION: The IBU encourages athletes to pursue educational and/or work activities and supports biathletes by providing relevant information, allocating resources, and creating opportunities.

• NATIONAL FEDERATIONS: The IBU motivates National Federations to promote IBU dual career policy and strategy, create programmes, and use existing opportunities in their countries.

FOCUS AREAS

• Awareness and Communication: Raising awareness of the importance of a dual career among national federations, coaches, athletes, and the athletes' social environment to ensure that a dual career belongs to the biathlon culture. Encouraging athletes to pursue a dual career to be prepared for a second career.

• Education/Work: Creating educational programmes and scholarships in the IBU Academy and building a platform of information exchange about dual career possibilities to make them available for athletes.

IMPLEMENTATION

The IBU Dual Career Strategy 2026 outlines the detailed activities, goals, and actions to achieve the objectives. IBU will observe and report on its activities and those of its members in terms of dual career and follow continual improvement. The policy will be reviewed every second year if there is no request from the IBU Executive Board or change in legislation that merits an amendment before the two years.

During the Athletes Webinar on 6 July 2022, the IBU asked the participants about their dual-career experiences. Here is what they answered:

For further details contact

Gerold Sattlecker - Head of the IBU Academy

gerold.sattlecker@ibu.at