Athletic Stipend Program at a Brazilian federal university: Eligibility criteria and athlete profiles

Abstract

Athletic stipend is a significant source of financial support for athletes, with specific initiatives in universities, such as federal universities. However, little is known about the requirements and profiles demanded by these programs. This study aimed to identify the eligibility criteria and athlete profiles demanded by the athletic stipend Program of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. This is a documentary, longitudinal, retrospective, exploratory, and qualitative study, with a thematic analysis of the public notices published between 2013 and 2024. The eligibility criteria were grouped into four dimensions: disciplinary, bureaucratic, marketing, and sports. Low systematization was observed between 2013 and 2016, limited to the disciplinary and bureaucratic dimensions. Between 2017 and 2020, in addition to the previous criteria, requirements such as assistance in organizing institutional events, weekly workload, availability for travel, and experience in marketing came into effect. From 2021 to 2024, the criteria from the second period were maintained. The profiles sought were composed of demographic, academic, and sports dimensions. The demographic profile was introduced in 2023, with an age range of 16 to 25 years. Until 2022, the academic profile was restricted to undergraduate students, but from 2023 onwards, it includes master's and doctoral students, in addition to the requirement for good academic performance since 2022. The sports profile was focused on recreational sports (2013-2016), student-athletes (2017-2020), and athlete-students (2021-2024). It can be concluded that the PBA-UFMS has undergone significant reforms, currently requiring student-athletes to focus on institutional representation in competitions organized by the Brazilian University Sports Confederation.