World Player Health and Safety Summit to address rising risks to athletes

The inaugural Player Health and Safety Summit, hosted by World Players Association in partnership with the EuroLeague Players Association, will bring together global experts to address escalating risks to player wellbeing for the first time. The event, which will take place at the Tecno Campus in Mataró, Spain, on January 29-30, 2025, aims to tackle the critical challenges posed by growing demands on athletes in the modern sports landscape.

Amid the pressures of increased workloads, mental health challenges, gruelling schedules and inadequate recovery time, players are facing unparalleled threats to their health and careers. The summit will offer a platform for sharing world-class research, innovative approaches and best practices to prioritize athlete wellbeing and ensure equitable conditions across all levels of sport.

Senior leaders from player organizations including FIFPRO, WCA, EAPA, IRP, MLBPA NFLPA, NHLPA and PTPA among others, will be present to explore future trends and challenges in safeguarding player wellbeing, drawing on their vast expertise and unique perspectives.

Matthew Graham, Head of UNI World Players, said:

“We’re excited to bring together leaders from player organizations worldwide in an unprecedented global effort to enhance athlete wellbeing. Occupational safety and health is a fundamental human right, and this summit provides an invaluable opportunity to share expertise and guidance on applying international standards to safeguard athletes across sport.”

Bostjan Nachbar, ELPA Managing Director, added:

“Excessive competition schedules and the relentless demand for performance are pushing professional athletes to the brink of exhaustion. The overuse of their bodies, both physically and mentally, not only threatens their long-term health but also undermines the integrity of sport itself. It’s time to recognize that athletes’ wellbeing must be prioritized over the relentless pursuit of profit and spectacle. The summit in Mataró will address the topics that will contribute to the much-needed change in the world of sports.”

The summit will adopt an occupational health and safety framework to address player risks, focusing on three key areas:

1. Spot the hazard: Discussions will spotlight issues tied to heavy workloads, with particular attention to gender-specific challenges. It will also feature groundbreaking research and protocols tailored to female athletes.
2. Address the risk: The summit will explore the application of international occupational health and safety standards in sports. Player associations will share tools and strategies for tracking, evaluating and mitigating risks.
3. Make the change: Best practices and success stories will highlight initiatives such as negotiated rest periods, mental health support systems, injury prevention protocols and effective workload management strategies.

Female athletes’ health and safety will take centre stage, as the summit seeks to address inequities stemming from underinvestment in resources and infrastructure. Practical tools and strategies will be shared to support player associations in advocating for comprehensive protection measures for women in sports.

By uniting affiliates and collective expertise, World Players Association, representing over 85,000 players in 100 countries, aims to make this summit a turning point for the global sports industry, to ensure that player wellbeing is a cornerstone of decision-making across all levels.