OSC Cologne News

Prof. Michael Heine (School of Kinesiology at Western University, London, Canada), Prof. Rob Hess (College of Sport and Exercise Science and the Institute of Sport and Health at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia) and Prof. Wassong (Olympic Studies Centre of the German Sport University Cologne) recently finalised an ambitious publishing project. This was the editing of a special issue of the prestigious journal ‘The International Journal of the History of Sport’. The corresponding title was ‘Sport Development and Olympic Studies: Past, Present and Future’ and the publication’s contents included a highly interesting collection of research papers submitted by scholars from the three respective universities. A unifying aspect of almost all papers was the effective application of the hermeneutical method. The interpretive strengths of this method served to sharpen the analytical perspective of the papers, much as its strict requirements for the use of primary sources led the authors to conduct extensive archival research. The field of research in Olympic Studies is undoubtedly very broad and, to assure thematic coherence, the studies assembled for this collection focused on the analysis of processes of continuity, transformation and development across four areas: sport institutions and their policies; commissions within and policies of governing bodies of sports; legacy discussions; and of sport events within the Summer/Winter Olympic Games transformed into political and cultural spectacles. Without doubt, all research articles published in this special issue are valuable sources for the participants of the M.A. Olympic Studies. 

On 8th March 2019, a meeting between Mr. Bach and Prof. Wassong took place in Lausanne. In a one-hour talk, Prof. Wassong first informed the President of the IOC about the research and teaching priorities of the Centre for Olympic Studies at the German Sport University Cologne. Mr. Bach showed great interest in the ongoing research project on the foundation of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and the analysis of its initiatives between 1981 and 2000. Prof. Wassong also reported on the development of the M.A. Olympic Studies, which has been supported by the IOC financially from central funds and through the scholarship system of Olympic Solidarity since 2012. Mr. Bach was very positive about the report and considers the programme and its ongoing support from the IOC as highly valuable in the further development of Olympic education. 

The meeting also served as an opportunity to exchange views on the reorientation of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC), an organization officially recognized by the IOC. Prof. Wassong has been the President of the CIPC since January 2018. Thus, this constituted his first opportunity in this role to inform the IOC President about the projects during the initial four-year term. Mr. Bach attributed great importance to the CIPC's publishing, exhibition and teaching projects for the Olympic Movement and, in particular, supports the intention of the CIPC to analyse the relevance of Coubertin's ideas for today´s profile of the Olympic Movement.

On 9th and 10th of March 2019, the annual general assembly and the board meeting of the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee (CIPC) took place in Lausanne. Therein, Prof. Wassong reported on the activities and projects that he had initiated and already realized in his first year as President of the CIPC. Of particular interest for the members, who had travelled to Lausanne from all continents, were the working report on the completely reinvented website in terms of content and graphic design, the involvement of the CIPC in the editorial consortium of the international journal ‘Diagoras: International Academic Journal on Olympic Studies’ and preparations for the Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum to be held in Mâcon in 2019. At the meeting of the Executive Board, Ms. Katarzyna Deberny (NOK Poland) was elected as new member of the Board, a new scholarship programme developed and the 2018 annual report for the IOC adopted. The new website was launched just recently on 23rd June 2019, the Olympic Day. 

Hinkelien Schreuder, a former gold and silver Olympic medallist in swimming (2008 and 2012) and current President of the Dutch National Olympic Committee’s (NOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC), was invited to the GSU to hold a presentation on the role of athletes within Olympic governance on 11th January 2019. The highly engaging presentation was held during the regular lectures of the GSU’s M.A. International Sport Development and Politics programme and implemented an interactive approach, encouraging students to participate in activities and stimulating class discussions. Shinning a light on the roles and responsibilities of ACs, Ms. Schreuder spoke of how the Dutch AC both works with the Dutch NOC and broader sports system to deliver on its agenda and represent athletes in sport political decisions. In addition to this, she outlined her personal athlete’s story and how she transitioned into sports governance. Questions were raised within the group discussion on the topics of, amongst others, the feasibility of dual careers for athletes, the financing structure and independence of an AC, and the views of athletes (also the position of the IOC’s AC) on the recent Russian doping scandal; with Ms. Schreuder providing numerous real-world examples to help facilitate understanding. On behalf of everyone in attendance, the GSU’s OSC wishes to express its overwhelming gratitude to Ms. Schreuder for granting us this incredible learning opportunity. 

On 20th May 2019, Luís Henrique Rolim Silva presented and defended his PhD thesis titled ‘Formation of an Olympic Nation in the Persian Gulf: sociocultural history of sport in Qatar, 1948 – 1984’ at the GSU Cologne.Dr. Rolim Silva, who is from Porto Alegre, Brazil, used his work experience and contacts in Qatar to present an interesting portrait of the young Olympic Nation within his research. The thesis was supervised by Prof. Wassong and Prof. Thierry Zintz (UC Louvain). The GSU´s OSC congratulates Dr. Rolim Silva on his excellent academic achievement.