How do athletes prepare for the Olympics during the pandemic? Intel is here to help

Intel will work with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to provide life coaching, planning guidance, skills learning and career development services to more than 50,000 athletes participating in the Olympic Games until the Tokyo Olympics, which has been postponed to next year. These services provided by Intel are an important part of Athlete365, the official athlete support program of the IOC. This new program is a direct result of Intel's commitment to "supporting Olympic athletes and Olympic hopefuls" and will help athletes work to overcome the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic.

Intel is providing these services to athletes by building on existing benefits it provides to its own employees. Athletes will have access to tools to help them navigate the challenges presented by the global pandemic. These tools and services include Headspace and EXOS, as well as other learning and career development services provided by Intel and LinkedIn. In addition, Intel will provide mentoring and networking services designed specifically to meet the needs of elite athletes in the Olympic community.

“Athletes work tirelessly to achieve their goals and bring the world closer together. As a Worldwide Olympic Partner, we view athletes as an extension of the Intel family and want to do everything we can to help them, especially during these challenging times. We provide outstanding service and support to Intel employees and want to extend that to the athlete community.” - Intel CEO Bob Swan

“The IOC always puts athletes first because they are at the heart of the Olympic Movement. We are excited to work with the Intel team to support athletes around the world while also driving the future of the Olympic Games through Intel’s leading technology. This collaboration is another example of the IOC’s support for the health and well-being of athletes at all stages of their careers.” – IOC President Thomas Bach

“There are many important company benefits that can help athletes navigate future career opportunities. This program is critical in supporting athletes in achieving their professional and personal goals.” – Ashton Eaton, Olympic champion and Intel employee

Importance: Intel and the International Olympic Committee are committed to supporting the Olympic ecosystem, athletes, and partners during the global pandemic. The benefits available to Intel's more than 100,000 employees will now benefit 50,000 athletes from 200 countries. In addition, Intel has donated products using Intel technology to various sports committees, including VR helmets, to help athletes continue and enhance their training while staying in touch with coaches and teammates. These benefits will provide athletes with resources beyond the game, which is highly consistent with Intel's mission to create world-changing technology, benefit everyone on the planet, and continue to promote inclusion. These services are based on Intel's previous grand commitment to address challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic through the "Technology Anti-epidemic Plan."

Services for athletes:

Intel Employee Mentoring Services: Intel offers exclusive mentoring services from experienced Intel employees with a variety of technical and non-technical backgrounds to help athletes successfully transition to the next stage of their lives after retirement and seize important growth opportunities. Intel is working with the IOC to expand the scope of mentors to include IOC staff and experienced Olympic athletes. Athletes, including Team Intel members, will be able to work with their mentors to develop post-record plans and learn useful personal and professional skills.

Athlete Webinar Series: Today, Olympic champion and Intel employee Ashton Eaton and Rick Echevarria, vice president of Intel’s Marketing Group and general manager of Intel’s Global Olympic Program Office, will also join the IOC’s Athlete Webinar Series. Eaton will discuss his transition from being an Olympic athlete to an Intel employee and how being an Olympian has helped him in his career in technology.

Knowledge Development: Intel extends its employee courses to the Olympic community and teaches them by experienced Intel employees. These courses are carefully designed and curated specifically for the athlete audience, so that athletes can develop some of the most needed and fundamental skills for future development in various industries. In addition, by accessing relevant content on LinkedIn, ranging from business, technology, public speaking to brand courses, athletes can hone key skills that are crucial now and in the future.

Performance Mindset: Athletes will have access to six months of Headspace Plus, which provides access to hundreds of resources to help with focus, sleep, movement, and more. Headspace also includes content designed for recovery, competition, training, and motivation. In addition, athletes can access content developed by EXOS on mindset and recovery.