“There is a consensus but tensions prevail.”

Key stakeholders met in Rijeka in May 2022 to debate Good Governance in the Employment Relations of Elite Athletes in Olympic sports at the fourth EMPLOYS conference. In recent months, the project team had developed a set of athlete-centred principles for good governance on employment relations, grouped into six dimensions, which were now presented and discussed in Rijeka.

What improvements are required, what standards are beneficial, implementation of adequate and sustainable policies and what mechanisms and activities need to be in place to improve good governance in athlete relations, these formed the main questions explored in two panels and two keynote speeches.

Prof. Jürgen Mittag, Head of the Erasmus+ funded project, summarised: “There is a consensus [between the different actors], that athlete employment relations in sport are very important, but tensions prevail and might even increase in the near future. We are aware of this aspect because improvements have a financial impact and money is a scarce resource. As for the various stakeholders, they are ready to reflect on the ongoing debates, what might clarify positions, foster understanding and eventually lead to incremental changes.”