The biennial competition, which was established in 1998, offers awards in five categories and a CHF 20,000 prize fund. The categories included are: coaching, promotion, technology, sustainability and an open category.
Entries will be judged for their quality and relevance to athletics by an expert panel. The author of the top project in each category will receive CHF 2,000 and be advanced to the final round.
The panel, which is led by Council member Sylvia Barlag of the Netherlands, will select the overall winner for its importance to the development of athletics.
A CHF 10,000 first prize will be presented to the overall winner at an awards ceremony during the European Athletics Convention in Malta in October.
The winning project in 2010 was submitted by Paul Rebane from Estonia and was entitled 'The Social Role of an Athlete.' Selected from 30 entries from 16 countries, Rabane’s paper describes the integration of Olympic Champion Gerd Kanter’s image with his sporting development to create a positive, highly visible role model for young people and the general public.
In 2008 Carl Askling and Alf Thorstensson from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm were the winner. The project was entitled 'Hamstring Muscle Strain in Sprinters.' Selected from 22 entries from 12 countries, it is one of the first attempts to systematically characterise and follow up a serious problem that threatens the careers of many top athletes.
The 2012 competition is open to all Europeans. The final date for receipt of entries is 31 May 2012.
For further information please click here: http://www.european-athletics.org/development/european-athletics-innovation-awards.html
8th December 2011 03:47