The European Championships (EC) Munich 2022 are the largest multisport event in Munich since the 1972 Summer Olympics. In the spirit of sustainability, many of the old facilities will be reused to determine the European champions of the nine participating sports.
The new TUM Campus in the Olympic Park (TUM CiO) is also an integral part of the event. Inaugurated on May 16, 2022, the new building with its sports facilities and Prevention Center are used for teaching and research by up to 3,000 students of sports and health sciences and of the state educational teacher training programmes during normal operation. In addition, it provides facilities for the approximately 17,000 athletes who participate in sports at the University Sports Center Munich (ZHS) each year.
The organizers of the European Championships were provided with the facilities and equipment of the TUM CiO with its modern equipment in order to create training facilities for the athletes. Users include the European gymnastics federations, which hold their training sessions in the gymnasium and the multifunctional halls specially converted for the event. In addition, the European table tennis federations use the quadruple hall for their sessions. The track and field athletes train in the javelin, discus and shot put. And athletes at the Olympic regatta course in Oberschleißheim were also granted use of the ZHS halls on site. In addition, many seminar rooms and lecture halls of the Department were made available as offices for the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), for meetings and events such as press conferences.
In addition to the Department of Sport and Health Sciences, the operation and administration of the TUM CiO is also the responsibility of the University Sports Center Munich and the Applied Sports Science Unit. Due to the extensive use, no ZHS program took place during the Championships, and the Department's exam period also had to be restructured.
Dr. Peter Spitzenpfeil, head of the Applied Sports Science Unit, sees the use of the facilities by the European Championships as positive: "It's great that you can experience something like this up close! Especially now with the new building, it's exciting to see how it's really being used. Of course, we do have certain restrictions, especially in terms of the testing phase, but we're happy to do it because it's an event worth supporting." In addition, Spitzenpfeil added, "you also have a certain responsibility that with a building like this, which was paid for by the public purse, you also give something back to the public".
In the run-up to the European Championships, the Applied Sports Science Unit had prepared the areas in question in close consultation with the ZHS and the Prevention Center, which primarily manages the Department's scientific equipment and provides it for research and teaching. Due to certain requirements of the European sports federations, this did not go without a certain amount of effort. Many rooms had to be converted and redesigned to meet the requirements of the individual top sports federations. Despite these challenges, both the organizer and the participants were very satisfied with the premises. Especially the modern ambience of the building and the possibilities and equipment of the new building enthused athletes, trainers, supervisors and supporting volunteers.
Michael Hahn, Head of the University Sports Center Munich, is pleased about the cooperation: "I know how important it is to get support for such an international sports event. There are a lot of young people working for the organizers, and if we can help out in one or two places, we'll be happy to do so. If we as athletes don't support each other, then soon there will be no more top sport." In addition to the premises, the ZHS also made its social media channels available to the organizer in order to address potential full-time staff or volunteers in advance using targeted advertising. Furthermore, the organization and especially the communication in the run-up was greatly facilitated by the fact that some full-time staff members of the LOC are former students of the Department.
However, Dr. Fabian Stöcker, head of the Prevention Center, still sees potential. The presence of all sports scientists, coaches, physiotherapists and athletes at the TUM CiO is an "ideal platform to host an expert symposium". According to the motto "Science meets Coaching," future events could include a panel discussion with various professors from the Department and the coaches and trainers of the top athletes. A public livestream would "make the Department even more visible" and give students and interested parties a unique insight. "We're obviously very excited to have events like this happen with us on this great Campus."
To the homepage of the University Sports Center Munich
To the homepage of the Applied Sports Science Unit
To the homepage of the Prevention Center
Contact:
Michael Hahn
University Sports Center Munich
Connollystraße 32
80809 München
phone: 089 289 24650
e-mail: mic(at)tum.de
Dr. Peter Spitzenpfeil
Applied Sports Science Unit
Connollystraße 32
80809 München
phone: 089 289 24562
e-mail: peter.spitzenpfeil(at)tum.de
Dr. Fabian Stöcker
Prevention Center/Dean's Office
Connollystraße 32
80809 München
phone: 089 289 24459
e-mail: fabian.stoecker(at)tum.de
Text: Julian Brandt & Romy Schwaiger
Photos: Julian Brandt