How This Athlete-Turned-Entrepreneur is Revolutionizing Sustainability in Sports.

Retirement opens up new avenues for professional athletes, leading them to explore various ventures. Some athletes discover passions during their playing career that are compelling enough to motivate early retirement, allowing them to dedicate more time to these pursuits.

One such athlete is Michael Doughty, who retired at the relatively young age of 28 in 2020. Alongside his retirement, Doughty co-founded Hylo Athletics, a company that creates high-performance running shoes using sustainable materials. His deep-rooted passion for the environment and nature is evident in this endeavor.

Doughty's involvement with Hylo caught the attention of Swindon Town Football Club, the club where he retired and spent most of his career. They approached him for a potential partnership, which led to a broader discussion about the club's approach to sustainability. Doughty assumed the role of the club's Chief Sustainability Officer, becoming the first ex-footballer to hold such a position in any club.

Swindon's sustainability journey began in 2021 when they joined EFL GreenClubs, a framework provided by GreenCode for EFL clubs to enhance their sustainability practices. GreenCode serves as a unifying force among clubs, allowing Doughty to convey his vision of a football industry that envisions the sport's future without a healthy environment. This includes considerations of the game's speed and skill, as well as the types of advertising associated with it.

The ability to persevere through the unpredictable challenges of entrepreneurship often leads to innovative solutions that would otherwise remain undiscovered. For example, Hylo's shoes utilize significantly fewer fossil fuel-derived materials compared to other brands, and though they are not yet 100% bio-based, that remains the ultimate objective.

Michael Doughty encourages all athletes to find an authentic way to resonate with their true selves and leave a meaningful legacy in the world. Athletes have unique histories that can define their own legacies, regardless of their level of success.