How are the Olympians doing? Are they in good health once their career is over? Without a doubt. Not sure. In truth, no one knows. In the absence of a study carried out on the subject, the question remains unanswered. Soon it won't be anymore.
The World Olympians Association (WOA) revealed Thursday April 19 in Bangkok, as part of SportAccord: a study on the health of athletes who participated in the Olympic Games, the first of its kind, will be conducted over the next few months. . It will be conducted online, among some 10.000 Olympians who have ended their careers.
First step: establish an inventory. A pre-study started in 2016 made it possible to compose a questionnaire. At the helm is a group of experts, including professors Patrick Schamasch and Richard Budgett, the former and current medical directors of the IOC. The questionnaire will be sent to Olympians, via international federations or national Olympic committees. The investigation is intended to be very thorough. It focuses on the musculoskeletal system. Twenty-five minutes is enough to answer all the questions.
Jean-Christophe Rolland, the president of the International Rowing Federation (FISA), and Sarah Lewis, the general secretary of the International Ski Federation (FIS), were the first two Olympians to complete their questionnaire. The former rower says: “ During their sporting career, an athlete is often surrounded and supported medically. But after his retirement, he found himself alone. He does not always know how to deal with problems related to inactivity or the effects of a high volume of training"
Joël Bouzou, its president, explained it in Bangkok: “ We are giving ourselves six months to collect as many responses as possible. It will take at least three more to analyze them. The results of the investigation will then be published in the British Journal of Sport Medicine. While preparing this initiative, we realized that nothing existed on the subject"
The investigation is intended to be exhaustive. Financially supported by the IOC, it extends to all Olympic sports, winter and summer. She is supervised by an Olympian, Doctor Debbie Palmer, a former short-track specialist and professor at Napier University in Edinburgh.
His goal? “ Establish a series of tips and recommendations for Olympians and high-level athletes“, explains Joël Bouzou. Jean-Christophe Rolland underlines: “ During his career, an athlete pushes the body to its limits, sometimes beyond. But he often knows little about the effects of these efforts and training volume on his medium and long-term health. »
Two other studies should follow. One will focus on cardiovascular aspects, the other on psychological issues.
