Liechtenstein – The Liechtenstein Olympic Committee (LOC) has unveiled a groundbreaking initiative to support the country’s top athletes.
The newly introduced employment program will provide six leading athletes with partial employment, offering them a regular salary and essential social and financial security.
The program aims to enable these athletes to concentrate fully on their respective sports without the burden of financial concerns.
After receiving 19 applications, a carefully selected panel comprising a Federation representative, an athlete representative, the head of the Liechtenstein sports office, the LOC performance sports officer, and secretary general Beat Wachter thoroughly evaluated each candidate.
Based on their exceptional commitment to competitive sports and the support received from their National Federations, six outstanding athletes were chosen to be the first beneficiaries of this program.
The selected athletes include tennis player Kathinka von Deichmann, cross-country skier Robin Frommelt, Alpine skiers Nico Gauer and Marco Pfiffner, mountain biker Romano Püntener, and racing driver Fabienne Wohlwend.
These talented individuals have demonstrated tremendous potential and dedication in their respective sports, making them deserving of this program’s benefits.
Stefan Marxer, the President of the LOC, expressed his enthusiasm for the employment program, stating:
“We are delighted by the substantial number of applications we received and the diverse range of sports represented. This overwhelming response indicates a significant need within our athlete community. We have finally been able to provide something that athletes have long been waiting for.”
Dominique Hasler, Liechtenstein’s Sports Minister, emphasized this initiative’s positive impact on athletes’ careers.
“The practice of supporting individual athletes, which has been well-established in many other countries, can now become a reality in Liechtenstein thanks to the additional funds allocated in the performance agreement,” said Hasler.
“With unanimous support from the State Parliament to increase funding, we can effectively implement this program. I eagerly anticipate the future successes of all our athletes.”
Liechtenstein has a storied history in the Olympic Games, having participated in every Summer Olympics since Berlin 1936, except Melbourne 1956 and Moscow 1980.
Although the country has yet to claim a medal at the Summer Games, Liechtenstein has enjoyed remarkable achievements in the Winter Olympics.
Hanni Wenzel made history in Lake Placid in 1980 by securing gold medals in women’s slalom and giant slalom Alpine skiing events.
This exceptional triumph established Liechtenstein as the smallest country in population to have won an Olympic gold medal.
Interestingly, Liechtenstein remains the only nation to have won medals exclusively at the Winter Olympics while failing to achieve the same feat in the Summer Games.
In addition to Liechtenstein’s Olympic successes, the country is proud to have Princess Nora as its longest-serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Having been elected in 1984, Princess Nora has significantly contributed to the Olympic movement.
Her dedication and commitment have earned her a place of distinction within the IOC, especially as Richard Pound of Canada and Pál Schmitt of Hungary recently became honorary members after reaching the age limit of 80, leaving Princess Nora as the longest-serving active member.
The introduction of the employment program by the Liechtenstein Olympic Committee represents a significant milestone in the country’s sporting landscape.
Liechtenstein aims to nurture their talent and empower them to reach new heights in their sporting careers by providing financial support and stability to its elite athletes.
As the chosen athletes embark on this transformative journey, Liechtenstein eagerly awaits the forthcoming successes they will undoubtedly achieve on the international stage.
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