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CSIR TECHNOLOGY IN SUPPORT OF
SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA
In brief
Sport science and technology can
assist with talent identification, fast-track
development, enhance performance,
prevent injuries and improve decision
making. The CSIR was contracted to
establish a framework that would assist
in modernising the sport science and
technology support provided to elite sport
in South Africa. Through software systems,
video-based biomechanical analysis and
notational analysis, telemetry and tracking
technologies, high-performance athletes
and coaches have been able to utilise
world-class products and services aimed
at improving their performance.
The challenge
In the highly competitive world of
professional sports, winning cannot be
left to chance. Excellence is the result of
superior performance, underpinned by
a complex and intricate mix of effective
talent management, good coaching,
exceptional academies, and cutting-edge
sports science and technology.
The South African National Lottery
Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) – through
its Sports and Recreation Distribution
Agency – saw the opportunity to identify,
supply and coordinate sports performance
enhancement strategies in an integrated,
high-performance framework that will
deliver top-class athletes to Team SA.
For this reason, the NLDTF contracted
the CSIR to respond appropriately to a
previous needs assessment and devise
a sports science delivery mechanism
that would provide access to modern
performance analysis technologies to
elite and high-performance sport in South
Africa. The project is conducted as a
multi-year initiative of which the first year
was completed in early 2011, funded by
a grant of R4.2 million from the National
Lotteries Board.
The ability to quickly and accurately
analyse performance in real time (i.e.
while the game is played or the athlete is
participating) is increasingly important in
elite-level sport. Performance information
supports the coach’s decision making to
influence individual or team strategies or
tactics.
CSIR response
Sports science and technology support
relies on a robust technology management
process that includes market assessments,
technology selection and acquisition,
strategies for optimal technology
deployment and a plan for ongoing
monitoring, evaluation and continuous
learning.
In this domain, the CSIR has achieved
international recognition as a pioneer
in the development and application of
world-class sports performance analysis
technologies.
A number of sport science and technology
support options, sources of technologies,
service delivery mechanisms, etc.
exist. These were investigated in the
first phase of the project to identify the
optimal technology options to modernise
the technology support programme
at the elite level. CSIR expertise was
complemented by inputs from stakeholders
such as the SA Sports Confederation and
Olympic Committee (SASCOC), national
federations, universities, sports academies
and testing centres.
The optimal technologies were identified
as:
• Information and knowledge
management
• Notational analysis
• Video-based biomechanical analysis
• Telemetry
• Tracking.
Outputs
To implement the technology choices, a
comprehensive technology acquisition
plan was formulated and the necessary
technology packages acquired through the
approved grant amounts.
It was agreed with SASCOC that the
technology support would be focused on
seven priority sports codes. These were
athletics, boxing, canoeing, cycling,
paralympics, rowing and swimming.
Subsequently, the technology packages
and equipment have been in use since
April 2011 at several sporting events,
across these sports disciplines. The
analyses were interpreted and reported
back to training authorities and athletes.
Their assessments and feedback of
the technology support have been
overwhelmingly positive.
With Coaching Education being an
important component of the investment
strategy, the acquired technology was also
used in streaming a coaching conference
live on the Internet, as well as the
SASCOC Coaching Conference 2010.
For many athletes, it was the first
time that they had been exposed to
sophisticated performance analysis
tools. The funding instilled the sense that
they were being given the appropriate
scientific support in the quest to improve
their performance. Even in instances
where only minimal tangible evidence of
performance improvement was detected,
the psychological boost of cutting-edge
technology support was often evident.
The NLDTF grant was used to establish a
framework on which further enhancements
to service delivery can be built. In
particular, the federations and individual
athletes and coaches now have access
to an on-line video repository of baseline
data that can be used as an input into
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