On October 27, the fifth National Athlete Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Camp was inaugurated, along with an entrepreneurship seminar for athletes, at Shougang Park in Beijing. Yang Yang, the founder of the Champion Fund and China’s first Winter Olympic champion, expressed at the event that Chinese sports are rapidly developing, providing retired athletes an opportunity to leverage their professional skills and serve the nation and society.
Reflecting on her own transition after retirement, Yang acknowledged the confusion she faced in finding her next “arena” in life, highlighting that many athletes encounter similar challenges. She emphasized the importance of retired athletes utilizing their advantages to innovate and create businesses, which will enrich society’s understanding of career development for athletes and inspire more individuals to engage in Chinese sports. The training camp aims to assist athletes in navigating their post-retirement transitions.
This National Athlete Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Camp spans six days and has attracted more than 50 participating athlete entrepreneurs, including world champions and para-athletes. It will provide a total of over 200,000 yuan in entrepreneurial funding for award-winning projects. Long Shengjun, deputy director of the Science and Education Department of the General Administration of Sport of China, remarked on-site that the growth and development of athletes have captured attention across various sectors, and the relevant departments will continue to support athletes in their entrepreneurial ventures and transitions.
The training camp is part of a public service initiative to support athlete entrepreneurship. Launched in 2017, this project aims to provide athletes with entrepreneurial education and training, mentorship, office space, competition platforms, and financial support, among other systematic services. By the end of 2023, four training sessions and entrepreneurship competitions have been held, successfully assisting over 500 athletes in starting their businesses.
This event was organized by the Champion Fund with assistance from sports talent departments in provinces and cities including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Hunan, Guangxi, Hebei, and Heilongjiang.
