Jump to content

How do amateur atheletes make a living?


Ahtong
 Share

Recommended Posts

I am talking about those track and field, gymnasts and swimmers and so on ....

 

How do they make a living doing their sports? Do they get paid for winning events?

 

Those successful ones become celebrities and can do product endorsements, but what about those average ones who rarely win?

↡ Advertisement
Link to post
Share on other sites

I suppose you mean "professional" athletes? Amateur athletes probably have a day job or part time job which supplements their income in between training commitments.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

I am talking about those track and field, gymnasts and swimmers and so on ....

 

How do they make a living doing their sports? Do they get paid for winning events?

 

Those successful ones become celebrities and can do product endorsements, but what about those average ones who rarely win?

 

 

local or other country?

 

i doubt there are many full time sportman here :huh:

 

best is like malaysia, one gold medal and govt will take care of the rest of your life on top of the one off money reward.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Turbocharged

I am talking about those track and field, gymnasts and swimmers and so on ....

 

How do they make a living doing their sports? Do they get paid for winning events?

 

Those successful ones become celebrities and can do product endorsements, but what about those average ones who rarely win?

in singapore athletic got money from wining event, but sadly our screw up system is such that they have to return large portion of it to their association. (was it 40% or 60%)

Link to post
Share on other sites

(edited)

I suppose you mean "professional" athletes? Amateur athletes probably have a day job or part time job which supplements their income in between training commitments.

 

To me, professional means people like those BPL footballers. We all know they are very rich.

 

I am asking about those atheletes doing individual ulu sports that most people don't follow outside Orlimpigs.

 

From their level of performance, I guess they need to train 24/7? Must be tiring to have a full time job on top of that

Edited by Ahtong
Link to post
Share on other sites

They hold full time jobs and train six to seven days a week after or before their work. They got no family or other life. They are truly dedicated to their sports.

 

They get paid only allowances when they represent SG. If win medals, got bonus otherwise, back to training regime.

 

But most will fade away when they reach their 30's. Depending on sports.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What about the powerhouse countries like USA and China?

 

I am guessing the PRCs are fully taken care of by the country as long as they are still active?

Link to post
Share on other sites

I think some go into coaching, sports therapy/medicine, etc after their competitive career is over. I don't think sportsmen train all day long, I remember reading in news articles some train twice a day a couple hours each time six days a week, something like that? At their level of fitness, they should be able to hold a full time job with slightly reduced commitment, I guess.

Link to post
Share on other sites

What about the powerhouse countries like USA and China?

 

I am guessing the PRCs are fully taken care of by the country as long as they are still active?

 

I dont know leh.

 

My fren is into dragon boat racing and he told me abt the life of those TeamSG dragon boat paddlers only.

 

Not sure of other sports or countries.

 

 

 

Dragonboat is not an olympic sport but they guys still got to represent SG in various competitions.

Link to post
Share on other sites

They migrate to play/compete for other countries and train their adopted countries' own athletes.....? Did you see the Horlumpigs ping pong finals name list? So many Chinese...... but not really China......

Link to post
Share on other sites

Turbocharged

What about the powerhouse countries like USA and China?

 

I am guessing the PRCs are fully taken care of by the country as long as they are still active?

 

A few years ago, there's this news article about PRC ex-medal winners having to auction off her medals to raise funds for a living.. the govt bo chap them after they retire.. very sad, but true case..

Link to post
Share on other sites

A few years ago, there's this news article about PRC ex-medal winners having to auction off her medals to raise funds for a living.. the govt bo chap them after they retire.. very sad, but true case..

 

Did some googling.

 

Found this Article

 

:o

Link to post
Share on other sites

Turbocharged

Did some googling.

 

Found this Article

 

:o

i think its more or less similar for other country.

 

but the problem is for china, those ppl are been force from young. making it hard to swallow when they are discarded as such.

 

BTW, ppl like to peg money against USD in their article without actual consideration of the real value in their country.

Link to post
Share on other sites

i think its more or less similar for other country.

 

but the problem is for china, those ppl are been force from young. making it hard to swallow when they are discarded as such.

 

BTW, ppl like to peg money against USD in their article without actual consideration of the real value in their country.

 

Yes. It's particularly hard for them since they didn't have a choice.

Link to post
Share on other sites

US - athletes generally come through the college system. Means they can apply for scholarships and at least have a degree to fall back on. US college sports is huge. For example Uni of Florida alone has 37 athletes past and present at London.

 

China - state run machine. The athletes are just pawns for government and nation prestige.

 

Otherwise for most other athletes the Olympics is an obsession. Once your sporting career is over then the few choices are coaching or other involvement in the sport, otherwise have to start again from square one. Your 15 minutes of fame is over very fast.

 

This doesn't necessarily apply to all sports, more the fringe ones you hear about only at the Olympics. For example cycling has a strong professional circuit outside the Olympics, as well as tennis and basketball. Many of the track cyclists will move to the road circuit for example.

 

Sailing is one of those sports where the sailors can move from the Olympic circuit to the professional yacht circuit. Haven't seen this with Singapore sailors, but is the standard elsewhere. Many of the gold medal favourites in sailing already have professional sailing careers and an olympic medal moves them to a higher pay level that they can charge.

 

↡ Advertisement
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...