From May 29th to 31st, 2025, the city of Baku hosted the 4th International Seminar for Dual Career Officers (DCOs), organized as part of the AFTERMATCH 2.0 Reload project. The event brought together sports professionals, trainers, and educators from across Europe to exchange knowledge and develop practical skills to better support athletes in managing dual careers.
A Three-Day Training on Dual Career Methodology
During the seminar, participants explored the core 4-phase methodology developed by the AFTERMATCH partnership, which includes:
- Analyzing the needs of organizations and athletes (diagnosis, benchmarking, recommendations).
- Conducting individual interviews and assessing athletes’ competencies.
- Designing tailored dual career pathways and providing mentorship.
- Gathering feedback and preparing personalized reports.
Through a series of workshops and group activities, the participants gained valuable insights and tools to help athletes successfully combine their sports careers with education or professional development.
Baku Joins the AFTERMATCH Network
The seminar in Baku marked the fourth milestone in the international rollout of the project, following successful editions in Lisbon, Kraków, and Los Alcázares. It also highlighted Azerbaijan’s growing engagement in promoting the #DualCareer model and supporting long-term athlete development.
Next Stop: Maribor
The next DCO International Seminar will take place from September 19–21, 2025, in Maribor, Slovenia. It will continue the mission of empowering trainers and institutions to create sustainable support structures for athletes transitioning beyond sport.
Stay tuned for more updates as the AFTERMATCH 2.0 Reload project continues to grow!
