There was a time in this country when elite athletes in cricket and football were not professional. They held day jobs to cover their financial obligations in life.
Some were fortunate to work for the sales and marketing department of sporting sponsors of the time, such as cigarette companies, breweries, and print media. Many others had university degrees, trades, or factory roles. There have also been more than a few ‘garbos’ amongst elite sportspeople in years gone by.
Sportspeople often depended on the generosity of understanding employers to assist with leave to compete. The generosity of the public, via Saturday meat trays and other fund raisers, assisted teams yet still some sportspeople needed to dip into their own pockets at times to represent their state or country.
Due to this lack of full time professionalism in generations past, elite athletes have been given leeway in bawdy behavior. If people are putting their own hands in their pockets to assist in the expenses for a tournament, the governing body hardly has the right to control their actions.
That time is not now. That time was, however, less than two generations ago in some sports. Sportspeople earn impressive pay packets based on results. Some earn contracts based purely on assumed potential. It allows them to forget about any other concerns and focus completely on being a supreme athlete. Player’s remuneration is now lobbied for by player associations. Sportspeople have a right to a fine share of the television rights, the sponsorship, the gate takings and the merchandising.
With rights come responsibilities. To accept the rights and all associated benefits of being a full time professional sportsperson, one need also adhere to the fine print on the contract – the responsibilities. Remuneration is for work completed to a satisfactory standard, in a satisfactory manner, and with a satisfactory attitude.
Current elite athletes are professional, full time employees of the governing body. They are now a human brand associated with that governing body for the contractual term 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are paid to train and nourish their bodies according to the regime’s sports medicine and dietary requirements to make them the best they can be and fulfill their potential.
What is the payback to the governing body by having a handsomely paid, full time professional athlete out on the drink at 2am during a tournament? Can being out at 2am on the drink ever assist with being the supreme athlete they are paid to be? The likelihood of being out on the drink at 2am is, at best, a tired athlete not able to perform optimally at the next training session.
Full time professional athletes may not like the spotlight and the media attention that comes with the role. Much like other celebrities, sporting people may not like the attention aspects of their life. Though, in the case of athletes, public life and personal scrutiny is a responsibility of the role and a substantial reason for their impressive remuneration packages. It’s written in the fine print of their contracts. Straight after the section titled ‘Rights’.
If our elite, professional sportspeople believe the impressive remuneration package does not adequately compensate them for their inability to go out drinking until early hours of the morning or other ‘restrictive’ behavior, it may be time for them to go back to weekend park sport and find a new full time career.
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