ZwaSpiDe Study

Forced Migration and Elite Sports in Germany: Conditions for Integration from the Perspectives of Athletes and the Sports System

Project Funding: Federal Institute for Sports Science (BISp)

Project duration: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2028

“I was in a refugee camp—no boat, no water, no club, no sports. When I think back on that and close my eyes, those thoughts motivate me.”

(IOC, 2024) automated translation from German

This quote is from Saeid Fazloula, a canoeist who fled Iran and has already competed twice in the Olympic Games as a member of the Refugee Olympic Team.

Considering  the high number of people being forced to flee their home countries due to persecution, war, human rights violations, and other life-threatening risks, the ZwaSpiDe study focuses on the group of top athletes who have been forced to migrate.

Two sub-studies examine the social conditions necessary for the successful integration of forcefully displaced athletes into German elite sports.

Firstly, we examine the influence of the immediate social environment on access to the elite sport system from the displaced athletes’ perspective. To capture this perspective, qualitative interviews, biographical mapping, and network analyses are conducted.

Secondly, in order to consider the sport system’s perspective, we explore the impact of sport-specific organisational structures on the integration of displaced athletes by carrying out expert interviews and document analysis

Based on the research findings, we will develop recommendations for actions in order to contribute to the successful integration of forcefully displaced athletes into the German elite sports system.

News from the ZwaSpiDe Project

On June 25, 2026, the kick-off event for the project “Forced Migration and Elite Sports in Germany: Conditions for Integration from the Perspectives of Athletes and the Sports System” took place at the Institute for Sports and Movement Sciences at the University of Osnabrück. The research team—consisting of PD Dr. Enrico Michelini and Svea Stahmann (both from the University of Osnabrück) and Prof. Dr. Astrid Schubring and Andrea Kößler (German Sport University Cologne)—discussed the perspectives and challenges involved in integrating forcibly displaced elite athletes into the German sports system with colleagues and experts from sports clubs, sports federations, and various partner organizations, the perspectives and challenges involved in the integration process of top athletes who have been forced to migrate into the German sports system. The interdisciplinary exchange yielded valuable insights that will be incorporated into the subsequent project phases. 

Many thanks to all participants!