FIFPRO
Nienke van Gerven is a seasoned professional in sports education and player development with extensive experience in various roles at FIFPRO since November 2014, currently serving as Senior Manager for Member and Player Education. Nienke's expertise includes developing organizational capabilities for national players' associations and enhancing the player development policy for numerous professional players globally. Previous roles at organizations such as Trefpunt-PRISM, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, and Football United highlight Nienke's commitment to empowering youth through education and sport. Nienke holds a Master's degree in Sport Management from the University of Technology Sydney and is fluent in English, having achieved proficiency at the University of Cambridge.
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FIFPRO
In a world frequently driven by individual interests, we are a not-for-profit organisation that stands for equality and solidarity in professional football. With 66 affiliated national player associations across the world, we are committed to defending the employment conditions of footballers in what is often a short and fragile career. The world of work for professional footballers is shifting. Their global employment situation is more complex than ever. We are committed to a player-centric working environment that protects them and shapes the future of the football industry. With our member unions, we have a proud track record of supporting footballers marginalised through discrimination, unfair rules or workplace harassment. We work behind-the-scenes but also in high-profile legal cases such as those involving Jean-Marc Bosman (freedom of movement), women’s national teams (conditions) and Zahir Belounis (human rights). As the only global representative of footballers, we negotiate international rule changes with FIFA, leagues and clubs. These cover a broad range of subjects from the match calendar, to concussion protocol and the use of personal player data. With more players than ever working abroad, FIFPRO is more relevant than ever. We help coordinate support for players – and make sure their voices are heard. To best serve them, our staff are experts in subjects from sports law and football medicine to the personal development of athletes. We are a small dynamic organisation with a positive attitude. We believe in teamwork and freedom to share ideas and start initiatives. Although we have decision makers, we strive to make collective decisions. We update each other in weekly stand-ups and project insight moments, and we celebrate our successes together. Most importantly: the wellbeing of professional football players is at the heart of everything we do.