Sportradar Launches Its New Athlete Wellbeing Education Program

Sportstech developer Sportradar announced that the company’s Integrity Services unit is launching its new Athlete Wellbeing program. The initiative will help athletes avoid the negative impact of sports betting on their mental health. It primarily targets leagues, federations, teams, and collegiate governing bodies.

Athlete Education Is at the Forefront of the New Initiative

The primary focus of Sportradar Integrity Services’ (SIS) new program will be prevention and education. Partners will access in-person workshops, pre-recorded webinars, and on-demand virtual sessions.

Jim Brown, who heads Sportradar’s North American Integrity Services division, stated that the company had a responsibility to help institutions educate athletes on the potential harms of sports betting and problem gambling. He also noted that Sportradar was in an excellent position to improve the greater sports ecosystem.

As the global leader in providing integrity services, the launch of this program is a natural step in continuing to protect the integrity of sport for all.

Jim Brown, Sportradar North America Head of Integrity Services and Athlete Wellbeing

Sportradar Partners with Renowned Mental Help Experts

SIS has attracted the help of several experienced partners like counseling service provider Kindbridge Behavioral Health. The company focuses on mental health disorders related to gambling and gaming. It maintains a network of providers across the US, making it a valuable asset. Other notable names participating in the Athlete Wellbeing program include co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, Dr. Timothy Fong, and Brianne Doura-Schawohl, founder of Doura-Schawohl Consulting and an expert in combating problem gambling.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) also pledged its support to the new initiative after Sportradar renewed its membership in the organization. It is the oldest US authority dedicated to the fight against gambling addiction. Keith S. Whyte, NCPG Executive Director, expressed his approval of the Athlete Wellbeing initiative.

We applaud Sportradar for creating their Athlete Wellbeing program to help protect athletes’ mental health.

Keith S. Whyte, Executive Director at the National Council on Problem Gambling

Whyte noted that the swift expansion of legalized sports betting across the USA meant it was paramount to establish and support programs to prevent gambling addiction among athletes and educate them on the potential dangers involved. He concluded that “every league, sport, club, team, and school” should implement such initiatives.

The Program Furthers SIS’ Broader Goals

SIS has lauded its partners’ expertise and expressed a clear interest in helping them expand their well-being efforts. The sports tech developer noted that its efforts would complement existing mental health programs and improve anti-match-fixing education at colleges.

The Athlete Wellbeing program is another step in SAS’ mission to protect sports competition integrity. Sportstech has provided education services and organized workshops for organizations such as NASCAR and the Brazilian Football Confederation. If the new initiative is successful, it will hopefully positively impact the sports industry’s integrity issues.