INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

2.3 Elite Sport System - How to Breed Winners
Summarizing the previous chapter, (1) an elite sport system can be
referred to as interdependently linked with the respective general
national sport policy system. It can furthermore be assumed, (2a) that
these systems are again depending on a complex national and
international stakeholder environment, (2b) representing the
gatekeepers for the necessary resources, and finally (3) that this
complex background can be held responsible for the existing variety
in the organisational design and applied levels of professionalism of
(elite) sport systems.
Based on this, it is now possible to narrow the focus on to the
concrete task spectrum of elite sport systems. By bearing in mind the
given background scenario, an enhanced understanding of some of the
strategic and tactical tasks faced by the management of an elite sport
system can be gained.
1. Elite Sport System - Strategic Task
The fundamental aim of an elite sport system can be assumed to be
the systematic development, creation or “production” of winning
athletes (e.g. Green and Oakley 2001, SIRC 2003, Oakley and Green
2001).
But following just this strategic aim would thereby create a rather
Spartanic elite sport system, hardly suitable for the social and
economic background of a western market economy based
democracy. On the contrary, today’s elite sport systems are orientated
as an all around service providence for the respective athletes:
“The agenda we work to is the athlete’s agenda. They tell us
how they see things, what they think is best for them.” (Sir Ron
Scott, high performance unit NZAS quoted by Tapsell 1999)
The system established in the former GDR and other Soviet Block
States have e.g. gained impressive sporting successes, and elements
and strategies applied by these systems are still benchmarks for
today’s sport promotion concepts (e.g. Green and Oakley 2001, SIRC
2003). On the other hand, due to the differences in the social and
economic conditions compared to those of modern societies (e.g.
Clumpner 1994) - i.e. especially the wider range of “saver” career
- 477 -