Due to the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of competitions and training opportunities, many young athletes were unfortunately unable to meet the qualifications required to join the armed forces. In order to provide even more active support for those serving in the armed forces with an affinity for sport, Vice-Chancellor and Sports Minister Werner Kogler and Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner presented a joint measure, the #comebackstronger initiative, to the public today.
The aim is to give young athletes the opportunity to continue their sporting careers professionally. In 2022, an additional 20 places will be made available for this purpose at the Army Sports Center. Many federal sports associations that can register their athletes for basic military service will benefit from this initiative. These will then be divided between the three enlistment dates in 2022. With this measure, the Ministry of Sport and the Ministry of Defense are increasing the number of places available and want to offer young athletes more opportunities. For Vice-Chancellor and Sports Minister Werner Kogler, the possibility of additional support for young athletes is particularly important now: “Like many others, the coronavirus pandemic has put a massive strain on the sports sector. The restrictions not only had negative consequences for mass sports, but were also a great burden for many competitive athletes. With the #comebackstronger initiative, we want to bring Austria’s sport back stronger. The twenty extra places in the armed forces for young athletes are an important step towards even surpassing pre-crisis form.” For Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, junior competitive sport is particularly important, especially in this area, where support is crucial for a sporting career: “The aim of this initiative is to provide even more support for young talents and give them the chance to become competitive athletes in the armed forces. We deliberately want to give young athletes the chance to apply to us again after this difficult time during the coronavirus pandemic. With #comebackstronger, we are building a bridge for our young talents in the country and helping them to fulfill their dream of becoming a top athlete.” For the time being, the aim is to temporarily increase the number of places at the Army Sports Center. For Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, however, an extension and further steps are also conceivable: “We are happy to have taken a first step now. Everything else will be seen in time.”
