Nine talented athletes are receiving financial support from the Swiss Armed Forces to prepare for the Olympic Games.
The Swiss Armed Forces have selected nine talented athletes to support them as temporary military personnel. These positions offer the athletes financial security while they prepare for the Olympic Games. The new contracts will run from February 2025 to summer 2028.
The selected athletes include Cédric Butti (BMX cycling), Robin Godel (equestrian/concours complet), Michelle Heimberg (water jumping), Anna Jurt (modern pentathlon), Alena Marx (canoeing), Roman Mityukov (swimming), Ilaria Olgiati (para badminton), Valentina Rosamilia (800 m athletics) and Dimitri Steinmann (squash). This variety of disciplines shows the army's broad support for different types of sport.
Particularly noteworthy is the appointment of Ilaria Olgiati, who will be the first para-athlete in this role. This underlines the army's commitment to inclusion in sport. Dimitri Steinmann will also benefit from the fact that squash will be recognized as an Olympic discipline for the first time at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
The sports soldiers receive 50% of their salary from the army and are insured, which allows them to concentrate fully on their sporting goals. A total of 50 applications were received for the nine available positions, which illustrates the high level of interest and competition for these coveted positions.