Olympic Studies Centre wins international sports management award
The Olympic Studies Centre (OSC) has received the 2026 European Association for Sport Management (EASM) Sports Organisation Award for its contribution to academic research and for strengthening ties between academia and the Olympic Movement.
Key facts
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The OSC makes its unique collection of resources accessible through the Olympic World Library, which recorded more than 5 million visits in 2025.
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The OSC welcomed over 1,300 researchers, students and Olympic Movement representatives to Lausanne during the same period.
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Every year, the Centre handles hundreds of research requests, providing primary resources, Games data and official publications to researchers from across the globe.
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It directly funds a total of 13 projects for doctoral and established researchers.
Since 1982, the OSC has contributed to the understanding, teaching and study of Olympism. The 2026 EASM Sports Organisation Award, presented by one of Europe’s most prominent professional associations in sports management, highlights institutions which make measurable contributions to advancing sport.
“This great honour recognises our efforts in supporting academic research linked to the Games and the Olympic Movement,” said Maria Bogner, Head of the Olympic Studies Centre. “Through the Olympic World Library, our research grant programmes and other initiatives, we seek to support researchers and make Olympic knowledge more accessible to those who study, teach and engage with sport and Olympism around the world.”
Through both on-site and online services, the OSC makes its extensive collection available to facilitate research and teaching about the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement. The Olympic World Library attracted over 5 million visits in 2025. During the same period, users consulted a total of 3.6 million publications and resources, while more than 400,000 documents were downloaded, confirming the platform’s position as the go-to resource for scholars, students and Olympic Movement professionals worldwide. In addition, the OSC welcomed more than 1,300 researchers, students and Olympic Movement representatives to Lausanne last year.
Every year, the Centre handles hundreds of research requests, providing primary resources, Games data and official publications to researchers from across the globe. It also provides access to experts and raises the visibility of academic publications and events by respectively publishing and listing them on its digital platforms.
Since 2021, the OSC has organised an annual International Olympic Case Study Competition involving close to 40 universities from around the world. Designed as a problem-based learning programme, it invites undergraduate and master’s students – in two different streams – to work on real-life challenges in sports management.
The OSC also collaborates with doctoral programmes, inviting researchers to address organisational needs, and is currently funding a total of 13 projects for doctoral/early-career and established researchers via its two research grant programmes. These initiatives enrich academic discourse and contribute to IOC strategies and policies by fostering innovative perspectives and evidence-based insights.
The Sports Organisation Award announcement was made during the European Association for Sport Management General Assembly in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 17 September 2026.