European Journal of Preventive Medicine 2019; 7(4): 71-78 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ejpm doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20190704.11 ISSN: 2330-8222 (Print); ISSN: 2330-8230 (Online) Former Footballers in Senegal: Health Condition and Vocational Retraining Oussseynou Ka 1, 2, * , Oumar Diop 2 , Abdoul Aziz Ndiaye 1 , Ndeye Fatou Ngom 1 , Awa Gaye 1 , Mountaga Elimane Dia 1 , ALioune Badara Tall 1 , Cheikh Tacko Diop 1 , Martial Coly Bop 1 , Boubacar Gueye 1 , Papa Gallo Sow 1 , Abdoulaye Ba 3 , Lamine Gueye 1 1 Department of Community Health of the Sustainable Health and Development Training and Research Unit of Alioune Diop, University of Bambey, Bambey, Sénégal 2 Center of Gerontology and Geriatrics of Ouakam, Dakar, Sénégal 3 Department of Physiology of Faculty Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontology of Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar, Dakar, Sénégal Email address: * Corresponding author To cite this article: Oussseynou Ka, Oumar Diop, Abdoul Aziz Ndiaye, Ndeye Fatou Ngom, Awa Gaye, Mountaga Elimane Dia, ALioune Badara Tall, Cheikh Tacko Diop, Martial Coly Bop, Boubacar Gueye, Papa Gallo Sow, Abdoulaye Ba, Lamine Gueye. Former Footballers in Senegal: Health Condition and Vocational Retraining. European Journal of Preventive Medicine. Vol. 7, No. 4, 2019, pp. 71-78. doi: 10.11648/j.ejpm.20190704.11 Received: June 1, 2019; Accepted: July 11, 2019; Published: July 31, 2019 Abstract: The objective of this work was to study among former Senegalese footballers their state of health and their socio- economic situation, an expression of appreciation of their professional retraining. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study from October 2015 to April 2016. Our population consisted of former footballers who played in the Senegalese national championship in the first division or were expatriates, honoring or not a selection in the national team. The cohort consisted of 100 retired footballers, the average age was 57, the average age of sports retirement at 31.8 years, the average duration of sport at 25 years; 56% of respondents had at least one risk factor, 28% reported sports-related conditions, 77% said they did not have reconversion and / or economic difficulties, but only 18% actually expressed the wish that their children become footballers. Older age was the main reason for sports retreat (49%) but 67% of subjects continued to play sports. However, it was noted that the number of risk factors increased with advancing age and longer sporting life and that lean body mass decreased with both indicators. In addition, subjects who engaged in regular physical activity had fewer risk factors and had more lean body mass. This study confirms the positive impact of sports practice in the prevention of risk factors and recommendations have been made to improve the living conditions of former athletes. Keywords: Former Football Players, Sports Retreat, Professional Retraining, Prevention of Risk Factors, Senegal 1. Introduction Retirement for athletes can be a risky break. Indeed, at the end of their career, top athletes face a triple crisis. A physical crisis: the relationship to the body is upset. Indeed the competition ended, the usefulness of the body, conceived since adolescence as a tool at the service of the sports performances, is questioned. The body begins to disintegrate and can quickly become bulky for the athlete. Some realize that they are experiencing a form of sports addiction. Others, on the contrary, show a brutal rejection of all physical activity [1-2]. A crisis of identity: stopping the sports career is for many, a source of anxiety, or even depression. Ultra specialized in a particular field, the athlete must start a new life in a world where he has few references. Thus he must face this "unrecognized" world; as a result, the feeling of omnipotence disappears. The athlete feels much more vulnerable, far from his image of "Sunday hero". It is difficult for him to turn the page to the extent that he is constantly referred to his athletic past by others "[1-3]. These ancient stars, once adulated, are today in total anonymity. The situation is such that, making the inventory is a breeze for a former international football