Intel, working with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), will extend life-coaching, mentoring, and learning and development services to more than 50,000 athletes that are a part of the Olympic community through the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. Intel will provide these services as part of Athlete365, the IOC’s official athlete support program. This new initiative is a direct outcome of Intel’s commitment to support Olympians and Olympic hopefuls who are managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Intel was able to provide these services through existing benefits the company offers its employees. Athlete benefits will include access to tools that will help address the challenges created by this worldwide pandemic. These tools and services include Headspace and EXOS, as well as additional learning and development services from Intel and LinkedIn. Further, Intel will design and deliver mentoring and networking services that are crafted specifically to support the needs of elite athletes within the Olympic community.
Intel CEO Bob Swan said, “Athletes work tirelessly to achieve their goals. In the process, they bring the world closer together. As a worldwide Olympic partner, we see the athletes as an extension to our Intel family and want to help in any way we can, especially during these challenging times. We have some great services for our Intel employees and want to extend them to the athlete community.”
IOC President Thomas Bach said, “The IOC always has an athlete-first approach because athletes are at the heart of the Olympic movement. We are excited to be working with the Intel team to support athletes around the world, but also to drive the future of the Olympic Games through Intel’s cutting-edge technology. This collaboration is another demonstration of the support the IOC provides to athletes’ well-being at every stage of an athlete’s career.”
Ashton Eaton, Olympic champion and Intel employee said, “There are many important corporate benefits that can help athletes navigate future career opportunities. This program is crucial in supporting athletes to achieve their professional and personal goals.”
Intel and the IOC are committed to supporting the Olympic ecosystem, athletes and partners during the global pandemic. These benefits are available for Intel’s 100,000 employees and now will extend to a greater community of 50,000 athletes spanning 200 countries. Additionally, Intel has donated Intel-technology-powered products, including virtual reality headsets, to different sporting committees to help athletes continue and enhance their training as well as staying connected. These benefits will provide athletes with resources beyond the Games and align with Intel’s mission of enriching lives and promoting inclusion. These service offerings build on Intel’s greater commitment to combating issues related to COVID-19 through its Pandemic Response Technology Initiative.
Services Provided to Athletes:
- Intel employee mentoring services: Intel offers exclusive mentoring services from experienced Intel employees across a range of technical and non-technical backgrounds to help athletes develop meaningful growth opportunities as they retire from competition and transition into the next phases of their lives. Intel is widening the breadth of mentors by collaborating with the IOC to include IOC staff and experienced Olympic athletes. Athletes, including members of Team Intel, will be able to develop new post-competition pathways with their mentors and learn useful personal and professional skills.
- Athlete Webinar Series: Today, Olympic champion and Intel employee Ashton Eaton and Intel’s vice president and general manager of the Olympic Program Office, Rick Echevarria, will participate in the IOC’s Athlete Webinar Series. Eaton will discuss his transition from Olympic athlete to Intel employee and how being an Olympian has prepared him for a career in technology.
- Knowledge development: Intel is extending its employee-based courses taught by experienced Intel employees to the Olympic community. Courses are curated and adapted specifically for relevance to the athlete audience, building their competency in some of the most in-demand and essential skill sets industries are looking for in the evolving professional landscape of the future. Also, athletes can hone crucial skills important today and in their futures by accessing topics ranging from business and technology to public speaking and branding through LinkedIn.
- Performance mindset: Athletes will have access to hundreds of resources for focus, sleep, movement and more, including content designed for recovery, competition, training and motivation through six months of Headspace Plus. Additionally, athletes will have access to content developed by EXOS around mindset and recovery.
