Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation

Swiss Olympic is the umbrella organisation for Swiss sport and supports the national sports federations at various levels, increasingly also in the area of (sports) science. Research, development and innovation are key factors in remaining competitive in the international sports competition. Sinc...

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Main Author: Sarah Geboltsberger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Bern Open Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Current Issues in Sport Science
Online Access:https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12041
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author Sarah Geboltsberger
author_facet Sarah Geboltsberger
author_sort Sarah Geboltsberger
collection DOAJ
description Swiss Olympic is the umbrella organisation for Swiss sport and supports the national sports federations at various levels, increasingly also in the area of (sports) science. Research, development and innovation are key factors in remaining competitive in the international sports competition. Since 2018, the funds available for applied sports science have been significantly increased. With a budget of CHF 1.5 million per year, Swiss Olympic's ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is an essential source of funding for Swiss elite sport. The aim of the ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is to promote practice-oriented (sports) science in the federations. This is to be achieved on the one hand by subsidising scientific staff and on the other by promoting scientific measures and projects. In addition, the Sports Innovation Hub was launched in 2024 to increase competitiveness through innovative ideas and collaborative approaches. A maximum funding application of CHF 200,000 can be triggered per project. The fundings are awarded exclusively to national member federations of Swiss Olympic through applications. The ‘embedded scientist’, a (sports) scientist embedded in the federation structure, is proving to be a promising model for conducting the most targeted and practice-oriented research possible due to its proximity to athletes, coaches and officials. Nevertheless, linking universities, research and business remains a challenge, one of the three key points of Stöckli's (Chef de Mission Swiss Olympic) final statements after the 2024 Summer Olympics. References Swiss Olympic. (2021). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sportwissenschaft [Implementation regulations for sport science]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:267287de-d451-4b10-bfc8-c0b478201283/Ausf%C3%BChrungsbestimmungen_Sportwissenschaft_2021_DE.pdf Swiss Olympic. (2023). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sports Innovation Hub [Implementation regulations Sports Innovation Hub]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:e2a34443-f52f-4bbc-a882-656bd074992a/231219_SIH_Ausf%C3%BChrungsbestimmungen_DE_Final.pdf
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spelling doaj-art-23838ce4fa0a4d08a89f6e7ceaae5a412025-02-04T03:15:07ZengBern Open PublishingCurrent Issues in Sport Science2414-66412025-01-0110210.36950/2025.2ciss055Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and InnovationSarah Geboltsberger0Swiss Olympic Swiss Olympic is the umbrella organisation for Swiss sport and supports the national sports federations at various levels, increasingly also in the area of (sports) science. Research, development and innovation are key factors in remaining competitive in the international sports competition. Since 2018, the funds available for applied sports science have been significantly increased. With a budget of CHF 1.5 million per year, Swiss Olympic's ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is an essential source of funding for Swiss elite sport. The aim of the ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is to promote practice-oriented (sports) science in the federations. This is to be achieved on the one hand by subsidising scientific staff and on the other by promoting scientific measures and projects. In addition, the Sports Innovation Hub was launched in 2024 to increase competitiveness through innovative ideas and collaborative approaches. A maximum funding application of CHF 200,000 can be triggered per project. The fundings are awarded exclusively to national member federations of Swiss Olympic through applications. The ‘embedded scientist’, a (sports) scientist embedded in the federation structure, is proving to be a promising model for conducting the most targeted and practice-oriented research possible due to its proximity to athletes, coaches and officials. Nevertheless, linking universities, research and business remains a challenge, one of the three key points of Stöckli's (Chef de Mission Swiss Olympic) final statements after the 2024 Summer Olympics. References Swiss Olympic. (2021). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sportwissenschaft [Implementation regulations for sport science]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:267287de-d451-4b10-bfc8-c0b478201283/Ausf%C3%BChrungsbestimmungen_Sportwissenschaft_2021_DE.pdf Swiss Olympic. (2023). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sports Innovation Hub [Implementation regulations Sports Innovation Hub]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:e2a34443-f52f-4bbc-a882-656bd074992a/231219_SIH_Ausf%C3%BChrungsbestimmungen_DE_Final.pdf https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12041
spellingShingle Sarah Geboltsberger
Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
Current Issues in Sport Science
title Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
title_full Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
title_fullStr Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
title_full_unstemmed Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
title_short Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
title_sort bridging research and practice swiss olympic s approach to sports science and innovation
url https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/12041
work_keys_str_mv AT sarahgeboltsberger bridgingresearchandpracticeswissolympicsapproachtosportsscienceandinnovation