Top athletes celebrate at the Justiz Athleta” program in Vienna!

Top athletes celebrate at the Justiz Athleta” program in Vienna!

At the end of March 2025, 28 top athletes were sworn in at the judicial guard and accepted into the “Justiz Athleta” funding program. Another athlete will join us after she graduates in July. Among the newly inducted athletes are prominent names such as ski racers Arianna Rädler and Magdalena Egger, as well as beach volleyball players Christoph Dressler and Claudia Purker. A World Cup bronze medalist was also represented in the Nordic Combined. A total of 97 athletes from 22 different sports and 13 professional associations applied to be included in the program. The Ministry of Justice's initiative enables top athletes to receive dual vocational training parallel to their training and competitions, which creates a structured professional perspective. krone.at reports that Justice Minister Anna Sporrer and Sports State Secretary Michaela Schmidt received the chosen ones at the Palais Trautson in Vienna.

At the official reception ceremony, Minister Sporrer emphasized the importance of qualities such as motivation, discipline and fair play, which are essential both in sport and in everyday professional life as a prison guard. State Secretary Schmidt described the prison guard as a “safe and attractive professional perspective” for competitive athletes. The aim of the program is to recruit new personnel for the prison guard while at the same time supporting top athletes in their careers. The initiative is intended to ensure that athletes are not only successful in sport, but are also able to acquire solid professional training that offers them opportunities for advancement after an active career in competitive sports.

About the “Justice Athleta” funding program

The “Justiz Athleta” funding program was launched by the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ) to ensure comprehensive support for top athletes in their sporting and professional development. It offers the opportunity to complete dual training to become a prison guard while the athletes can concentrate on their competitions. The BMJ also provides the necessary resources and support to promote the sporting success of participants. In addition, the athletes are used as brand ambassadors for public relations in the Austrian penal system and prison system. justiz.gv.at

The athletes' obligations to cooperate include, among other things, participation in official events organized by the BMJ and the General Directorate of Prisons. They must also visibly display the “Judicial Guard” logo during public appearances and in social media postings. They also take part in executive branch sports championships and BMJ campaigns. You are also obliged to inform Department II/4 about sporting matters, such as doping tests.

Outlook and application information

On September 21, 2024, Sports Day took place at Heldenplatz in Vienna and the Austrian penal and criminal justice system was represented there with its own stand. Visitors had the opportunity to find out about the areas of responsibility in the criminal justice system and the enforcement of measures, as well as the “Justiz Athleta” project. bmj.gv.at has announced that applications for the program are now possible via the BMJ career portal, accessible at justiz.gv.at/athleta. The first course for top athletes begins in spring 2025.

The BMJ not only promotes the sporting ambitions of the participants, but also creates positive awareness of the prison guard. The contact for questions was provided by the ministry and can be reached at +43 676 89 89 12 070 or by email at medienststelle.ressort@bmj.gv.at.