Despite the sports industry suffering the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in recent years, sports-related and employment figures are improving significantly, recovering pre-pandemic levels. In fact, the sector’s growth is reflected in many of the figures published just a month ago by the CSD (Spanish Higher Sports Council), in collaboration with the Department of Statistics and Studies of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, in the 2022.
Sports Statistics Yearbook. According to this report, this growth is reflected in an increase in the number of sports clubs, which in 2021 stood at 76,218, representing a year-on-year increase of 2.4%, and in the number of sports federations that participated in domestic and international competitions: 4,452 and 2,355, respectively, obtaining a total of 1,032 medals. However, one of the most relevant figures is the number of DAN (High-level athletes), which reached 5,494 in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 0.2 %. Nevertheless, the differences by gender remain significant: almost 62% of DAN are men and only 38.4% are women; the trend continues upwards in a general growth.
The body: a work tool and source of income
More and more athletes make their passion their profession and decide to professionally dedicate themselves to high-level sports. However, dedicating one’s life to sport brings a series of risks, the vast majority of them caused by the physical effort and challenges involved in practising high-level sports. When practising sport, especially those classified as of high-risk, athletes sooner or later suffer an accident or an injury. Being aware that this can happen and having an appropriate prevention plan will provide the athlete the peace of mind they need to perform at the level required to achieve professional success.
The body is not only the athletes’ work tool, but also their source of income; therefore, when they become injured, not only is their health at risk, but also their finances. This is why sports insurance is so relevant to professionals, especially in terms of the financial protection provided when they suffer an accident, injury or illness that incapacitates them from practising their sport; both them and their family are protected financially.
Savings is another basic pillar that any elite sportsperson must take into account. With this type of insurance, they will be able to save regularly throughout their career with the peace of mind of having their future covered. The aim is to guarantee a capital at the end of the sportsperson’s professional life, after such a short career.
Without a doubt, long-term prevention and planning are the best allies of any high-level sportsperson when wishing to minimise the possible risks, both during and after their career.
