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THE HUMAN RIGHT OF OLYMPIC ATHLETES TO EARN A LIVING MAXIMILIAN KLEIN Maximilian Klein is Representative for International Sports Policy and Organising at Germany’s independent athlete association, Athleten Deutschland e.V, and a Master of Public Policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School. @mximilian_klein
Across the world, Olympic athletes struggle financially. German survey data from 20181 indicates that on average, elite athletes work 56 hours a week, spending just under 32 hours on sportsrelated activities and another 24 hours for work or studies. The annual gross income amounts to an average of €18,680 ($US20,352). This corresponds to an hourly wage of €7.41, about two euros per hour below the German minimum wage. The average costs of living and the expenditure for performing their sport amount to €16,5000 ($US17,977). Then there are associated opportunity costs, like missed educational and professional pathways as well as retirement provisions due to late entry into the workforce. In the course of an average sports career, i.e., between 18 and 30 years of age, elite athletes have to accept a considerable loss of gross income of €57,990 ($US63,183) compared to the general population. Many athletes are not ‘marketable superstars’ or lack employment contracts as is the case in sports leagues. They mostly rely on a mixture of external private and public funding and part-time jobs or work as civil servants with exemptions that accommodate their sports career.
THE OLYMPIC MOVEMENT SHIELDS ITS REVENUE SYSTEM AT THE EXPENSE OF ATHLETES Conversely, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has become a financially successful non-profit operating akin to a multinational corporation with average annual revenues exceeding $US1.4 billion. Since publishing its account balances in 2014, its revenues have grown per year by an average of $US140 million. The IOC claims that 90% of its total expenditure are for the Olympic Games and the organisations associated with the Olympic Movement i.e., the International Federations and their national subsidiaries, and the National Olympic Committees (NOC). 4.1% of funds benefit athletes directly, e.g., in the form of scholarships for athletes from lowincome countries.2 The IOC wants to sustain its revenues with the exclusivity of its sponsoring deals with companies of the Olympic Partner Programme3. Therefore, they have made it almost impossible for Olympic athletes to generate income from sponsoring activities related to the Games: By-law 3 of rule 40 of the Olympic Charter4 protects the financial interests of the Olympic Movement and its sponsors by imposing heavy restrictions on athletes to advertise themselves during the blackout period, i.e., nine days before the Games begin until three days after the closing ceremony. At the very peak of their career, athletes – the protagonists of the Games – are excluded from a multi-billion market for advertisement and image rights. They do not get a fair share for their hard work and dedication over several years.
