Olympic Bid: Science and Elite Sport at the TUM Campus in the Olympiapark

Reviving the Olympic spirit of 1972 – That is the goal of Munich’s bid to host the Summer Olympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044. In a clear vote in the referendum held in October 2025, the people of Munich expressed their support for the bid. Which city Germany will put forward as its candidate will be decided by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) in the fall.

How elite sport, science, and innovation can work together was demonstrated on July 21 in Lecture Hall 1 of the BayWa Auditorium at the TUM Campus in the Olympic Park. Representatives of Germany’s elite sports federations gathered there for the second event as part of Munich’s Olympic bid, “20XX – For the City and Sport.” The event, moderated by Antonia Wisgickl, opened with an image film featuring TUM and the individual sports cities. Guests included Bavarian Minister of the Interior and for Sport Joachim Herrmann, Munich Mayor Dominik Krause, and TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann.

Prof. Hofmann welcomed the numerous guests and emphasized the importance of Munich’s bid: “TUM wholeheartedly supports a Munich bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Games offer an opportunity to bring new technologies into practical application, develop sustainable infrastructure, inspire people to become more physically active, and create momentum for education, health, and social cohesion. Not only for the duration of the Games, but for decades beyond.”

Bavarian Minister of Sport Joachim Herrmann said: “Munich and Bavaria offer the best conditions for compact Olympic and Paralympic Games with a strong international appeal. In addition, we have a strong Olympic legacy, modern sports facilities with short distances, and a world-renowned scientific landscape. With the Technical University of Munich as a University of Excellence and highly competent partners in the field of sport, we are demonstrating impressively how elite sport, research, and innovation can go hand in hand. Our goal is to host sustainable Games that create momentum for sport, health, and society far beyond the actual competitions.”

Munich Mayor Dominik Krause also highlighted the city’s unique conditions for an Olympic bid: “Munich offers unique conditions for hosting the Summer Olympic Games. Our Olympic legacy from 1972, the international appeal of our city, our experience in hosting major events, and the broad support of the people make Munich the ideal location for the Olympics. But Munich is not only a city of sport; it is also a leader in science and research. This is why sports science at the TUM Campus in the Olympiapark is one of the highlights of our bid. It is where innovation and sporting practice come together. Elite and grassroots sports benefit equally from this.”

Michael Asbeck, coordinator of Munich’s Olympic bid, explained the vision behind the bid. He outlined how the Games could create momentum for greater physical activity, modern sports infrastructure, and the long-term strengthening of a culture of physical activity in Munich and Bavaria. Asbeck explained: “For us, an Olympic bid is about far more than hosting an international sporting event. It offers an opportunity to sustainably strengthen the culture of physical activity in Munich and Bavaria and to build a bridge between grassroots and elite sport. In light of declining levels of physical activity in our society, there is a considerable need for action. By investing in schools, sports facilities in public spaces, and a diverse range of opportunities for physical activity, we can create the foundation for inspiring more people to take part in sport – because a strong elite level needs a strong grassroots base.”

After representatives of Germany’s elite sports federations had already been presented with Munich’s bid concept at SAP Garden on June 18, the focus on July 21 was on the details of how scientific innovation, sporting practice, and performance development can work together under the umbrella of the Munich Performance & Innovation Hub in close cooperation with the Bavarian Olympic Training Center.

Prof. Dr. Karsten Köhler, Head of the Associate Professorship for Exercise, Nutrition and Health, and Volker Herrmann, Head of the Bavarian Olympic Training Center, jointly presented the ecosystem for performance, health, and development. They demonstrated how science and elite sport benefit from each other and how innovative research can be directly integrated into sporting practice. “With the Munich Performance & Innovation Hub, we are creating unique conditions for bringing science and sporting practice together under one roof,” emphasized Prof. Köhler. “Our institutional excellence and the close collaboration among all partners enable sustainable knowledge transfer – from research into practice and back again. This creates an ecosystem that uniquely connects elite sport, science, and innovation.”

Volker Herrmann added, with regard to the vision behind Munich’s Olympic bid: “Germany has excellent conditions for sporting success – with outstanding science, highly qualified coaches, and many talented athletes. The challenge is to transfer this knowledge sustainably into practice. The Munich Performance & Innovation Hub can serve as a blueprint for this and demonstrate how science and elite sport can work together even more closely in the long term. We need to put development at the forefront if we are to achieve sustained success in the future.”

During the subsequent tour of the campus, participants gained insights into topics including prevention, training and fundamental research, technology in sport, brain health, and personal development in elite sport. Examples included innovative methods of personalized performance diagnostics and sports technology that can be used to analyze sport-specific movements under realistic conditions. The Department of Health and Sport Sciences also presented research approaches to brain health in sport, which aim to help identify strain more effectively and develop effective preventive measures for athletes.

At the conclusion of the event, the impressions from the tour were revisited and an outlook was provided on the next steps in Munich’s Olympic bid. The participants then took the opportunity to continue their discussions before the event came to a close at the TUM Campus in the Olympiapark. Together with TUM, the Free State of Bavaria and the City of Munich aim to pave the way at the Olympiapark Campus for a possible hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2036, 2040, or 2044 – a sporting event that will leave a lasting mark on the city.

Contact
Dean’s Office
TUM School of Medicine and Health
Department Health and Sport Sciences
Am Olympiacampus 11
80809 Munich
E-mail: deans.office(at)mh.tum.de

Text: Paul Hellmich/Bastian Daneyko
Photos: Andreas Heddergott/Maximilian Linsmeier/Bastian Daneyko