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The 21st EAS Virtual Cafè on “Dual career in Sport, the Spirit of Humanity: Protecting the Sport Person” will be organized online next May 18 (Monday), 2026 at 13:00 (CET). 

This event is organized in conjunction with the European projects FOCUS (ERASMUS-SPORT-2025-SCP-101243801) and “Give Sport a Say” (CERV-101253838). Whilst FOCUS aims to establish an innovative and scalable Dual Career co-created framework, ensuring that elite football players can successfully transition from youth to professional sport levels while maintaining educational and career opportunities, Give Sport a Say aims to foster the civil dialogue on future of sport policy in connection with health, equality and youth, Therefore, your participation for the advancement of the European sport dialogue will be highly appreciated.

Programme:

13:00 Welcome – Moderator 

Mrs. Olga Papale, PhD Europaeus 

Mrs. Olga Papale, kinesiologist. In 2025 she has been awarded the Bengt Nybelius Scholarship and the Special Mention as Youth Researcher by the Italian Society of Sport and Movement Sciences (SISMES). Her research focuses on physical activity, health promotion, outdoor exercise, and student-athlete wellbeing, with particular attention to dual career pathways and sustainable sport participation.

13:05 ”Building the FOCUS project on identified needs and evidence”

Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen, PhD

Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen, kinesiologist. He is the Sports Development Manager at the Kolmen Kampuksen Urheiluopisto OY – Sport Institute of Three Campuses (KKU), Finland, with responsibility for research, development, innovations, coach education, planning and utilization. In working closely with elite youth athletes through coaching support, well-being, testing and training, and career progression, within the FOCUS project Mr. Aki-Matti Alanen has analysed the current state of dual career in European Nordic countries,

13:15 ”Give Sport a Voice, Give Athletes a Future: Dual Career & Human Dignity in Sport” 

Mrs. Sara Massini

Mrs. Sara Massini, psychologist, is the head of European and International affair department of OPES, Italian umbrella organization for grassroots sport under the Italian Olympic Committee structure. Former secretary general of ENGSO and youth leader within the Italian youth Council and European youth forum, she has a long experience in advocacy, policy and project management in the areas of sport and youth both at National and European levels. For OPES, Mrs. Sara Massini is the leader of the Give Sport a Say project.

13:25 “Dual career across a Portuguese football club”

Mr. Francisco Graça

Mr. Francisco Graça is a UEFA C Football Coach, assistant coach and physical trained of youth soccer players at the professional football club Associação Académica de Coimbra, Portugal, he is enrolled at the MSc in Sports Training of the University of Coimbra.

13:35 “Beyond the Ice Track: Sport and Dual Career United”

Mr. Ivo Steinbergs

Mr. Ivo Steinbergs, former international skeleton athlete, graduated at the Riga Technical University. With a strong experience in building national programs and preparing athletes for international competitions, he joined Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton as an official coach for the skeleton team during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games and he is the coach of the Skeleton Latvian Team qualified for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. S Mr. Ivo Steinbergs has a strong background in programming performance development, track preparation, and athlete development systems.

13:45 “Nothing Is Guaranteed in Sports: Why Athletes Need a Dual Career” 

Mr. Janis Leitis

Olympic track and field athlete and Latvian national record holder in the 400-meter sprint, Mr. Janis Leitis is a nutrition specialist with a professional experience in relation to physical health, physical exercise, and recovery processes. He is a Lecturer at the Riga Stradiņš University, Latvia.

13:55 General discussions and invitation to the EAS Annual Conference and elections to be held in Oulu, Finland on October 5-7, 2026.

You can join the Zoom Meeting at https://uni-lj-si.zoom.us/j/97371548061 (Meeting ID: 97371548061).