The Athlete Career Transition Workshop began this morning at Iran’s National Olympic Academy and will run for two days. The opening ceremony was attended by Mehrdad Alighardashi, Executive Board Member of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) and President of the Table Tennis Federation, Dr. Amir Balzadeh, Director of the NOC’s Olympic Solidarity, along with instructors and 22 national coaches and athletes.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Alighardashi emphasized that the post-competitive
phase is one of the most important transitions in an athlete’s life and
expressed hope that Iran would make better use of its sporting talents in
national and international sports governance. Dr. Balzadeh explained that the
NOC applied to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) four months ago to
obtain authorization for the workshop, which is now being held with
IOC-approved experts. He added that the goal of the program is to help athletes
successfully transition from their professional sporting careers to new
professional and social paths—using their experiences and abilities while
avoiding potential identity or financial difficulties. The two-day course
includes sessions on the Olympic Movement, self-awareness, resume writing,
media literacy, and personal branding. It also focuses on:
* Preparing athletes for post-career psychological, social, and
financial changes.
* Developing practical skills for non-sport careers, such as
communication, leadership, and teamwork.
* Identifying alternative career opportunities in coaching,
management, business, media, or education.
* Providing psychological and social support for smoother adaptation
beyond athletic life.