In Spain, the issue of pension provision for former Olympic athletes has once again come to the forefront. Fernando Romay, a renowned basketball player and silver medalist at the 1984 Olympics, has drawn attention to the challenges athletes face after retiring from sports.
Romay, who competed for the national team at the Los Angeles and Moscow Olympics and played for Real Madrid for many years, noted that a significant part of his generation did not have the opportunity to make contributions to the social security system. As a result, many veteran athletes have been left without adequate pension benefits.
According to the former player, the situation is particularly tough for those who competed in individual disciplines or were affiliated with federations where employment records were not always maintained. In team sports like basketball, calculating years of service was simpler, but even so, not all athletes managed to accumulate the necessary years required for a decent pension.
Romay emphasized that many of his colleagues only became aware of the problem in later life when it was time to apply for a pension. In their youth, he said, athletes were completely focused on training and competition, giving little thought to the future. In other countries, the former player pointed out, special support programs have been established for Olympic athletes, and in some cases, they have even been granted civil servant status.
In Spain, however, many former athletes now receive only minimal payments that do not cover their basic needs. Some of them, despite participating in several Olympic Games, have to make do with the minimum non-contributory pension, which barely reaches 600 euros per month.
Fernando Romay expressed hope that the authorities would quickly find a solution to support those who brought fame to the country on the international stage. He noted that the issue is already being discussed at the state level, but emphasized the need to speed up the process, as more and more former athletes are facing financial difficulties.
