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Team Denmark’s Elite sport municipalities – a collaboration between many players

The contracts between Team Danmark and the municipalities, which are typically concluded for a four-year period, have as a general aim to optimize the framework and promote conditions for elite sports and in particular talent development in the municipalities. The contracts are different from municipality to municipality, but the vast majority of contracts include topics such as priority sports, training sessions in primary schools, secondary schools, and higher schools; sports medicine, physical therapy, dietary guidance and sports psychology.

One of the focus topics – the collaboration between primary schools, municipalities, clubs, federations and Team Denmark on sports classes in primary schools, where children and adolecents participate in a “dual career” – is now described and discussed in the book: “Talentudvikling og elitesport i skolen”(Aarhus University Press, 2019). The book, edited by Jens Chr. Nielsen and Jesper Stilling Olesen, associated professors at DPU, Aarhus University educational psychology and educational anthropology, has been prepared on the basis of a four-year research project in the period 2013-2017. The researchers have followed a year of sports children at 4 primary schools from 7’th to 9’th grade using both qualitative methods (interviews and observation) and quantitative methods (questionnaires). In doing so, the sports children, both those who have been successful and those who have had difficulty living up to the expectations of a progressive sporting development, have followed in development and not least in the ups and downs that have brought them closer in some cases to elite sports and in other cases has brought to drop-out in elite sports.

New theories and perspectives on talent development and long-term education

The book is generally well written and introduces new theories and perspectives to the existing literature on talent development and education. And not least, a number of key controversies and dilemmas about children, adolescents and elite sports are described and discussed based on extensive empirical material. The book contains 13 chapters on i.a. talent development under change, international research on talent development, sports classes under development, educational and cultural policy initiatives, preparation for dual careers, transitions in sport, the visible talents and the transition to high schools as well as a comprehensive literature list. In particular, I would like to highlight three topics in which the book gives Danish and international elite sports new knowledge based on theoretical considerations and the practice of reality.

Sports children in a sports class – and not talents in an elite sports class

Firstly, the researchers emphasize that the target group for a combined school and sport offer in the primary schools should be defined as “sports children in a sports class”. There is no doubt that talent development has in the past decade received a lot of focus both in the education system, the business world and in the cultural and sports world. The primary reason for this development has been that talent development has increasingly been regarded as a crucial factor for smaller nations such as Denmark can compete in the international sporting race. However, there is also no doubt that too many “talents” have been “prematurely” identified in the last decade, especially in the world of sports. In my opinion, there is no greater mistake than the statement: “Everyone has talent” and it is quite a few percent of the sports children in the sports classes that can – and should – be included in Team Denmark’s definition of “… a talent that is a youth athlete with competences and skills in a sport that is likely to develop long-term as a senior athlete at the highest international senior level. ” The vast majority of sports children and adolecents, both inside and outside Team Denmark’s Elite sport municipalities, never come close to that category. For this reason, all schools, clubs, federations and, of course, Team Denmark in the future should use the term “sports children” and “sports classes” instead of “talents” and “elite sports classes” – not least for the sake of the sports children and adolecents. Similarly, it is also valuable that the researchers introduce the concept of “dual becoming” instead of “dual career”. For sports children or adolecents at the age of 14-16, this is precisely a process of becoming and not a sports or educational “career”. In my opinion, this can at most be a career, both sports and educational, after completing high school and a sport transition from junior athlete to senior athlete.

“Double commitment” – sports children who can and want to

Secondly, the researchers point out that “double commitment” is crucial as an admission card for a good talent development. Commitment is an expression of a particularly strong commitment and can be defined as a general mental state that can explain a person’s targeted actions over a longer period of time. The researcers also emphasize that commitment is a relational and dynamic phenomenon, which should ideally apply to both domains: Sport and school. The premise of being selected and staying in a sports class for three years is that the individual child has a certain level of competence within their sport, that the sport child can continue to develop this competence towards the elite level and that he or she have the will to do so. It is also expected that the sports child has professional school competence and willingness to, among other things, to do homework and deliver assignments. In other words, the sport children must “be able” and “want”, both the school and the sport. That task is solved by some sports children, but far from most. The majority of the sports children are thus often under a “cross-pressure” between the sport and the school, where different expectations and demands are set from eg. parents, teachers, coaches, peers and not least the sports children themselves. The book describes – specifically and directly – “cross-pressed” for the different types of sports children. One of the book’s few weaknesses is that it gives no answer to how large a proportion of sports children who master both competences and commitment in the two domains and how many sports students are actually “misplaced” in a sports class.

Significant differences between sports – and between girls and boys

Thirdly, the researchers often emphasize in the book that sports children in sports classes should be viewed as procedural and relational phenomena involving many different actors: the sports children, teachers, coaches, coordinators, supervisors, parents, peers, and many others. A strong talent development environment consists not only of people, but also of a number of material facilities and objects such as school buildings, sports facilities, sports equipment and props, as well as policy documents, objectives, ideologies, norms and visions. The complex and controversial topic – talent development and elite sports in the primary schools – is also clearly expressed through the research project’s descriptions and discussions of the marked differences in behavior and attitudes, both in two genders – girls and boys – and in between the different sports.

“Talentudvikling og elitesport i skolen” should, in my opinion, be a compulsory curriculum for any coach, teacher, parent, coordinator who deals with children, adolecents and elite sports – and who will follow them as best they can on their way in or…. out of elite sports.

From decathlon to specialization – 400 meter hurdles

Already in the spring of 2013, the first sign of Karsten Warholm’s unique talent showed itself at the Norwegian Youth Championships. Warholm was registered and won 8 disciplines over 3 days – triple jump, 60-meter hurdles, 400-meters, height jump, 60-meters, 200-meters, long jump and the relay – and in 6 of the disciplines he set new Norwegian records. Later in the year, he also became the youth World champion in decathlon and a unique international career could really take off. During adolescence, Warholm’s versatility was unique and until 2014 Warholm participated in both decathlon and specific disciplines such as long jump, hurdles and 400-meters. Warholm’s weakest performance in decathlon was the throwing disciplines: Shot put, discus throw and javelin throw. “Karsten has always had a very great talent and the training in decathlon during the childhood and adolescence laid a very solid training basic. In addition, he has always wanted to train to progress. He has a strong belief in his own abilities and he has an exceptional ability to push himself, so that he fully exploits his potential, ”says Hanne Haugland, OLT coach who has followed Warhol’s development for a number of years and is today contact person between the “Olympiatoppen” – the Norwegian elite sports organization – and “Team Warholm”. In 2015 Warholm moved from Ulsteinvik to Oslo, where he began a collaboration with the very competent and experienced coach – 62-year-old Leif Olav Alnes. This collaboration has been of great value and significance to Warholm’s impressive career over the past four years. Hanne Haugland puts it this way: “When Karsten, together with Leif Olav Alnes, decided to focus 100% on the 400-meter hurdles, quality and competence in targeted training led to great progress in a very short time. Karsten got great benefit from Leif Olav’s vast experience from strength training and biomechanics and Leif Ola got the pleasure of training an athlete who was willing to focus 100%. It has been the perfect match between a 100% dedicated athlete and a 100% dedicated coach who has led to the world class results,” says Haugland.

Unconventional choices and priorities

Warholm and Alnes have also made a number of conscious and unconventional choices. Among other things, Karsten Warholm has chosen to train exclusively with girls: Amalie Iuel, Elisabeth Slettum and Solveig Hernandez – all hurdle-runners of the same age as Warholm. The daily training takes place in Vålerengas Vallhall, Bislett Arena and at the Olympiatoppens training center at Sognsvann, where “Team Warholm” with Leif Olav Alnes supplemented by assistant coach Andreas Thorkildsen is responsible for the training. The daily training load is very large – often 6-8 hours – and especially Alne’s strong motivation, extreme systematics and creativity combined to using unconventional training tools has been of great benefit to Warholm’s development. In addition, the team also collaborates with the experts of Olympiatoppen on dietary guidance, testing, and other factors that are critical to international top performance. Warholm greatly appreciates the informal conversations with the three girls, also on topics that are far from the world of athletics. “My training mates are by no means my competitors and the three girls help create a purposeful and serious atmosphere in our training group, but where there is also space for humor and fun between us” Warholm has spoken to Norwegian media about the unconventional choice of training mates.

Quality in the daily training – rather than prize money at international competitions 

Another unconventional choice made by Warholm and Alnes is not to take part of competitions outside Europe, also at the expense of the very big money associated with participation and victories in the Diamond League events. Of course, Warholm likes to compete, but it is actually the daily training that he values ​​most. He has stated to Norwegian TV that “… I find extreme pleasure in developing and that development usually happens in training. Competitions are important to gain a little extra, but training is the crucial basis. For me – and this may sound like a cliche – money is far from any driving force. I have never spent my time and energy on athletics to make a lot of money. I only set out to present – not to make money in the individual races. Money is the driving force for many top athletes, but I would like to be a kind of counterpoint to this attitude, “Warholm says, and continues:” When I get offers for money, I don’t say no – it will be too stupid. But for me, delivering performance on the field is far more valuable. The joy of sports comes first”. This attitude has also meant that “Team Warholm” deselects a number of international events in Asia, Oceania and the United States. “Traveling around the world is very demanding and you usually lack sleep, rhythm and rest after such trips. We have therefore selected few important international competitions during the season – and most of them in Europe. For me it is incredibly important that I look forward to the competitions that I have to participate in – so my motivation is top notch,”concludes World Cup and Olympic favorite Karsten Warholm.

Rowing is the “financial top scorer” among Team Denmark-federations

The excellent Olympic results of Danish rowing are one of the main reasons why DFfR is among the top scorers in terms of financial resources and expert assistance from Team Denmark – the Danish elite sport institution. The amount of funding in 2019 is more than DKK 9 million. During the four-year period leading up to the 2020 Olympic Games, the amount of funding for Danish rowing is approaching DKK 40 million. kr.

From this perspective, both DFfR and Team Denmark should also have ambitious goals and high expectations for the Danish results at the 2020 Olympic Games. Against this background, the 2019 World Championship, held in Linz-Ottensheim, offered both positive and negative performance of the Danish rowers. Denmark was represented in 8 Olympic classes, but only managed to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in 2 classes: Sverri S. Nielsen in singles sculls for men and W4- with Christina Juhl Johansen, Lærke Berg Rasmussen, Frida Sanggaard Nielsen and Ida Gärtz Jacobsen. I believe that Fie Udby Erichsen in single sculler for women to qualify for the Olympics 202o at one of the last two regattas in spring 2020, but in all other classes the Danish rowers were very far from the Olympic qualification: LW2 became No. 17 (Olympic qualification top 7), W2- became No. 17 (Olympic qualification top 11), W2- became No. 15 (Olympic qualification top 11), M4- became No. 16 (Olympic qualification top 8) and W8- became No.11 (Olympic qualification top 5). These teams still have the opportunity to achieve Olympic qualification at the FISA Continental Qualification Regatta or at the FISA Olympic Qualification Regatta, which will be held in the spring of 2020, but in my opinion at the 2019 World Championship performances it becomes very difficult to achieve Olympic qualification in more than 3 classes. There is simply too much distance from the men’s current performance level to the level needed to achieve one of the few Olympic qualifying places remaining. By comparison, it can be mentioned that Denmark was represented in 6 classes (W1x, W2-, W2x, LW2, LM2 and LM4) at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

A Faroese and W4- are medal candidates at the 2020 Olympic Games 

Currently, Denmark’s best medal chance at the 2020 Olympic Games is attributed to the 25-year-old Sverri S. Nielsen from the Faroe Islands, who won the WC silver medal after Oliver Zeidler from Germany, but ahead of the world champion of 2918 Kjetil Borch from Norway in a very exciting A-final. Sverri has undergone a fantastic development, especially in the past year with two World Cup victories and he is much better today in the tactical performances of his races compared to previous seasons. Sverri S. Nielsen is, in my opinion, one of Denmark’s biggest medal candidates at the 2020 Olympics. The team of W4- have also shown a very high international level this season with victory in one of the World Cups. The young team also delivered an excellent WC performance with a bronze medal after Australia and the Netherlands. In my opinion, there is no doubt that Australia, one of the world’s strongest rowing nations, is a favorite for the Olympic gold medal next year on the Sea Forest Waterway, but I believe that Denmark – along with nations such as the Netherlands, USA, Poland and Romania – must compete for the other two podiums.

I also believe that 34-year-old Fie Udby Erichsen, who surprised everyone with the silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London has really good chances of securing the third Olympics attendance in 2020, but her chances for being a part of the medal match in Tokyo are in my opinion very limited. The 2019 World Championship was a disappointment for Fie with a 4’th place in the B-finals and thereby a total 10th place – just outside the 9 Olympic qualifying places.

Danish rowing balances on knife edge ahead and during the 2020 Olympics

It will be very disappointing if Danish rowing only qualifies in 2 or 3 classes for the 2020 Olympics, and at least one Olympic medal should be the target of Danish rowing. If that does not happen, the proceeds of one of Danish elite sports’ largest investments of DKK 40 million in the period 2017-2020 will be far too modest. Danish rowing balances on a knife age until the 2020 Olympics, but the chances of two Olympic medals in Tokyo are definitely present.

Proud international traditions – but great challenges in women’s and mixed doubles

For decades, Denmark has been Europe’s supremely best nation and among the world’s 4-5 best nations in a sport dominated by nations in Asia: China, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Korea, India, Thailand and Malaysia. Denmark is still Europe’s best nation, but nations such as Japan, China and Indonesia now have far more Top-10 players/couples than Denmark. Likewise, nations such as Taiwan and India have more and better rankings than Denmark on the world rankings (1). One of the main reasons why the distance between the top three nations and Denmark has increased significantly is that Danish players/couples have previously belonged to the world’s Top-10 players in at least 4 of the 5 categories: Men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, ladies’ doubles and mix double. At present, however, there are no Danish Top-10 players/couples in either women’s singles, women’s doubles or mix doubles. It has been particularly painful that the two best women’s and mix doubles players over the past decade: Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl have stopped their international careers. I do not currently see players in women’s doubles or mix doubles, which may come close to Pedersen and Rytter Juhl level over the next 4-5 years. The fact is that the best Danish couple in women’s doubles – Sara Thygesen & Majken Fruergaard – are currently ranked No. 25 on the World Rankings, while there is no Danish couple among the 40 best on the World Ranking in mix double. Due to the lack of international level in women’s doubles and mix doubles, it will also be completely unrealistic with Danish medals in international team championships such as the Surdirman Cup (Mixed national team) and the Uber Cup (Women’s national team) in the near future. On the other hand, the Danish men’s national team has really good chances of achieving a top result when the World Championship for Men’s team (Thomas Cup) is played in Aarhus in May 2020.

Viktor Axelsen and Anders Antonsen – Two world-class players

While the lack of international qualities in women doubles and mix doubles are particularly obvious, there is much greater optimism in men’s singles and men’s doubles. Denmark’s largest medal candidate for the 2020 Olympic Games is 25-year-old Viktor Axelsen (No. 6 on the World Rankings), who has already won the World Championship (2017) and Olympic bronze medal (2016) as well as a number of Super Series victories. However, it is very worrying that in recent years Viktor has been forced to pause several international tournaments due to various injuries. And now a discus collapse in his back has also forced him to a World Championship cancellation. Injuries have also been Jan Ø. Jørgensen’s challenge for a number of years. Fortunately, Jan is on his way back with a semifinal result at the Japan Open. The performance shown that he still has the potential for top international results. It can certainly not be ruled out that Jan Ø returns to the Top-10 on the World rankings, if health allows continuity of training and tournaments.

Men’s doubles at the “heavy” end of the age scale

The best Danish men’s doubles – Kim Astrup & Anders Skårup (No. 8 on the World Rankings) – have also shown high international level in recent seasons and the couple can on “a good day” win over the best couples in the world. But from opinion the couple must perform with a higher “bottom level”, especially against opponents who are ranked lower than the talented pair. I am very pleased that 39-year-old Mathias Boe and 31-year-old Mads Conrad have come together in a new constellation, as are 36-year-old Carsten “Nuller” Mogensen and 31-year-old Mads Kolding. Unfortunately, Mads Kolding is beaten with a long-term injury, but both couples have the potential to challenge the world’s best pair in men’s doubles: Gideon and Sukamuljo, Setiawan and Ahsan from Indonesia and Li and Liu from China. Especially, I look forward to following Boe and Conrad, who are both “fighters of God’s grace,” in the coming months, focusing on their earning of points for the Olympic qualification. I think Denmark can qualify for two men’s doubles for the 2020 Olympic Games, but it will be very difficult especially for the two couples to interfere in the fight for Olympic medals due to the lack of seedings.

International potential at Blichfeldt and Kjærsfeldt – but perhaps greatest in doubles

Likewise, I believe that Denmark’s two best women’s singles: Line Kjærsfeldt (No. 17 on the World Rankings) and Mia Blichfeldt (No. 12 on the World Rankings) qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, but in both players are without medal chances. Neither 25-year-old Kjærsfeldt and 21-year-old Blichfeldt have yet succeeded in achieving international top results and the road to emerge among the best players in the world is still long. I also believe that their international potentials are greater as doubles players than as singles players. However, it is a crucial condition that the individual player is motivated for a career as a double player. Both Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Christinna Pedersen chose – consciously and advisedly by sports manager and coaches – to bet unilaterally on a career as doubles players. This choice resulted in impressive international results for more than a decade. Kjærsfeldt and Blichfeldt have the opportunity to follow the same road, which I think will be a wise choice.

More girls must be recruited in the clubs and developed to international level by Badminton Denmark

Danish badminton’s biggest challenge, in my opinion, is the lack of recruitment and development of doubles players, especially among the girls. It is a fact that today there are more than 2,000 girls under the age of 18 who are members of one of Badminton Denmark’s 650 clubs than 10 years ago. Similarly, the number of boys under 18, who are club players, has decreased by more than 2,000 in the same period, ie. a decline of young badminton players in Denmark under the age of 18 by more than 10 percent. In addition, the number of boys under the age of 18 – 22,500 – is significantly higher than the number of girls – 11,800 – in the Danish badminton clubs. The skewed gender distribution in the clubs also means that coaches, managers and parents often have – consciously or unconsciously – a much greater focus on the boys’ wishes and needs than the girls. Badminton Denmark with High Performance Manager Jens Meibom and his coaching staff should therefore, as soon as possible, in close cooperation with the strongest local training environments motivate and prioritize the most talented talent coaches – both professional and human – to train and develop the girls, if necessary “at the expense” of the boys. If Denmark is to challenge the very best nations again and maintain the position as Europe’s strongest badminton, it is essential that the federation and the clubs develop some specific targets, strategies and efforts to recruit and not least develop girls’ interest and motivation for badminton. Otherwise, Denmark will lose further international terrain in one of the most traditional and medal-winning sports – unfortunately.

Note:

(1) If the nations are ranked by Top-10 rankings and placement points (10 points to No. 1, 9 points to No. 2, 8 points to No. 3 … and 1 points to No. 10) on the World Ranking is status before the 2019 World Cup the following: 1. Japan: 10 Top-10 Rankings and 78 Placement Points, No. 2 China: 10 Top-10 Rankings and 69 Placement Points, No. 3 Indonesia: 8 Top-10 Rankings and 46 Placement Points, No. 4 Korea: 4 Top-10 Rankings and 15 Placement Points, No. 5 Taiwan: 3 Top-10 Rankings and 19 Placement Points, No. 6 India: 4 Top-10 Rankings and 12 Placement Points, No. 7 Denmark: 3 Top-10 Rankings and 10 Placement Points, No. 8 Thailand: 2 Top-10 Rankings and 12 Ranking Points, No. 9 Malaysia: 1 Top-10 Rankings and 6 Ranking Points, No. 10 Great Britain: 1 Top-10 Ranking and 3 Ranking Points.

Debut in “Fuglebakken” – the working-class club on “Høgevej”

My first experiences with sport were in 1963, when I, as a 6-year-old, became a member of the football club “Fuglebakken” – a working-class club in the northwest part of Aarhus. Three years later, we moved to Fredensvang, where AGF’s facilities became my “second home” for a number of years. My first club, however, I had “in the heart” through all of my childhood and adolescence, not least because “Fuglebakken” in 1970 qualified for the second league, where the following year was very close to qualify for the best league. “Fuglebakken”, which played in the second league from 1970 to 1978, was a very special team with good abilities to score goals, but also with total lack of defense tactics and discipline. Therefore, results like 8-4, 7-2 and 3-6 were not unusual for the team’s matches. I do not think Fuglebakken left the field one time in the nine seasons in the second league without scoring at both ends of the field. There was always “value for money” when the red-blue striped with the free-kick expert Kristen “Kesse” Nygaard, the fast runner Lars Bastrup or the elegance Kim Sander – one of my good friends who unfortunately died of sclerosis at the age of just 35 – entertained in the relatively few spectators who followed the team at home field. The exception for a few spectators was the local derby’s against AGF in the five seasons, when the “bourgeoisie’s club” met “the working-class club from Høgevej”. The local derby was in 1971, attended by more than 20,000 spectators in Aarhus Stadium, and in particular, the Fuglebakken’s victory of 5-1 in 1976 remains clear in my memories. Overall, the city’s football pride – AGF with 4 Danish Championships and 5 Cup titles in the period 1955-1965 – had a big crisis in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the club spent 7 seasons in the second league. The team played very physically and technical players were more than rare to find in the AGF lineup during that period. In 1977 AGF return to the best league and with profiles such as Troels Rasmussen, John Stampe and Lars Lundkvist, the club had a number of good years ahead of the Danish Championship in 1986. “Fuglebakken” never succeeds to qualify for the best league and after relegation to fourth league in 1980 the “adventure” was ended.

Sunday afternoons in Aarhus Stadium and Arena 

I spent all Sunday afternoons in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s with football in Aarhus Stadium – Fuglebakken or AGF’s home games at 13:30 – followed by two events in handball at 15:30 and 16:50 in Aarhus Arena. Denmark’s World Championship silver medals in 1967 became the starting point for my interest in handball and the KFUM players: Erik Holst, Jørgen Vodsgaard, Iwan Christiansen and Klaus Kaae became my “heroes” and role models. Therefore, Aarhus KFUM also became my favorite team, even though I started playing handball for Viby IF – the club in Aarhus with the strongest youth teams. In the 1960s, Aarhus was called “the world’s best handball city”. In 1963, Aarhus KFUM won the Danish Championship with three other Aarhus clubs: AGF, IK Skovbakken and Viby IF on the subsequent places. Aarhus KFUM regained the Danish Championship in 1965 and with a total of 7 silver medals in the 1960s, Aarhus KFUM was called “the eternal two’s” in Danish handball. “The arch enemy” was HG from Copenhagen, who became Danish Champions five years in a row from 1966 to 1970, with profiles such as Bent Mortensen, Verner Gaard, Carsten Lund, Gert Andersen, Palle “the wildman” Nielsen and not least “the world’s best handball player” Jørgen Petersen. The battles for the Danish Championships between HG and Aarhus KFUM in a crowded Aarhus Arena is still today as some of my best spectator experiences.

Aarhus KFUM played – just like “Fuglebakken” – as I remember today always entertaining. The team captain, both in defense and attack, was Vodsgaard or “Viktor”, who constantly and loudly commented on the performance of both teammates, opponents and especially the referees. Vodsgaard’s successor as the “M’s” captain became “the magician” Steffen Holst – one of the greatest technical players that Danish handball has developed. Aarhus KFUM won the Danish Championship again in 1974, but the number of medals for Aarhus KFUM through the 1970s was unfortunately very modest. Only in the early 1980’s did Aarhus clubs again have a great success with Danish Championships for Aarhus KFUM in 1980 and 1983 and IK Skovbakken in 1982 with my P.E.teacher from Viby Primary School – Hans Chr. Nielsen – as the coach. Subsequently, Aarhus – not even with “Aarhus Handball”, which was founded by AGF, Brabrand IF, VRI and Aarhus KFUM at the turn of the millennium – has just been in the vicinity of the past.

Everything has changed – except my passion for “top sports” in Aarhus

Everything has almost changed since I left Aarhus four decades ago: “Fuglebakken” and Aarhus KFUM are combined with Hasle Boldklub, whose best football team plays in the seven league and the handball team is a part of Aarhus Handball. Today, AGF is primarily a limited company with new “facilities” that contains separate changing rooms for the teams. The city’s football pride – and not least their fans, who are always extremely optimistic before the start of the season – is neither challenged by Brabrand IF, Aarhus Fremad or VSK (Vejlby IK and IK Skovbakken), who all play in the third league. Aarhus Handball has (yet) failed to challenge the best handball clubs in Denmark: Aalborg Handball, GOG, Skjern Handball and BSV – despite a very large number of national team players residing in Aarhus. Nevertheless, in a few days I will again walk along Stadion Allé to the most beautiful sports facility in Denmark: “Ceres Park & ​​Arena” in the Marselis forest. “The white ones from Fredensvang”, which the people of Aarhus either love or hate, meet one of the most successful teams in Danish football: FCM, which is owned by a rich man from the UK. Before the start of the game I will listen to Thomas Helmig’s “Malaga” and Gnags “Lav sol over Aarhus”, which will give me memories of past achievements and the dreams of the future, both in and outside the world of sport. And I will be spectator for “top handball” when Aarhus Handball plays “local dervy” against BSH or Skanderborg Handball. “Fuglebakken” and Aarhus KFUM are past: It is time to find new favorite teams for an “old” Aarhus boy who loves “top sports” – especially in Aarhus.

There is only one year to Tokyo in the days of July 24 – August 9 will host the 2020 Olympics. The populous and proud empire was also in 1964 host of the first Olympic Games held in Asia. In addition, Japan has previously been very successful in organizing the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Especially the 1964 Olympics gave Japan great international recognition and the Olympic Games were also a great sporting success, as the Japanese athletes and teams won a total of 29 medals (16 gold, 5 silver and 8 bronze medals), which gave Japan an impressive 3’rd place in nation competition, only beaten by the United States and the Soviet Union. I’m absolutely sure that the 2020 Olympics will also be a great sporting success for Japan. It shows virtually all international results in many sports at the 2016 Olympics, the World Championships and the Asian Games, since Japan was awarded the hosting of the 2020 Olympics six years ago.

Top-10 nation at all Olympics after World War II

Japan participated for the first time in the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm and since then the nation, where the general participation in sports is surprisingly low, has competed at virtually every Olympic Games since. However, Japan was not invited to attend the 1948 Olympics in London, like Japan – as many Western nations – choose not to participate in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Japan won the first Olympic medal in 1920 and Japanese athletes and teams have won a total of 439 medals at the Summer Olympics, most gold medals won in judo. Also in sports such as gymnastics, wrestling and swimming – all sports with many disciplines – Japan has won a lot of Olympic medals throughout the decades. It will also be in these sports as well as athletics with 48 different disciplines that Japan will be among the medal candidates for the next summer Olympics.

Olympic Games 2016 – a step on the road to the Olympics 2020

Already at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Japan achieved many surprising results, bringing Japan a great sixth place in the nation competition behind the United States, Great Britain, China, Russia and Germany – but ahead of strong sports nations such as France, Korea, Italy and Australia. Japan won a total of 41 Olympic medals (12 gold, 8 silver and 21 bronze medals) in 2016, but I believe that Japan wins up to 70 medals next year. Nor is there any doubt in my mind that Japan will be among medal candidates in several of the new Olympic sports: Karate, climbing, surfing and skateboarding, as well as baseball and softball, which are back on the Olympic program.

The world’s best badminton nation – ahead of China

Also in two of Denmark’s strongest Olympic sports – badminton and sailing – the competitions with the Japanese athletes and teams at home count can be extremely challenging. Japan has so far “only” won 3 Olympic medals since badminton was introduced to the Olympic program in 1992. But that number is certainly increasing significantly by the 2020 Olympics. Currently, Japan has 8 top 4 players/couples in the five categories: Momota in men’s singles, Okultara and Yamaguchi in women’s singles, Kamura and Sonoda in men’s doubles, Matsumoto and Nagahara, Fukushima and Hirota as well as Matsumoto and Takahashi in women’s doubles as well as Watanabe and Higashinmo in mix double. By comparison, Denmark today only has Viktor Axelsen as top 4 player in men’s singles, while China “only” has 6 top-4 players/couple one year before the 2020 Olympics.

There have been no special traditions for Olympic sailing despite Japan’s geographical location with lots of ports across the country. Japan has often been represented at the Olympics in several boat classes, but to date only 2 Olympic medals have been achieved. However, at the World Championship 2018 in sailing, which was held in Aarhus, Japan showed impressive results in “the 470 class”, where it became the WC-gold medals in the women and the WC silver medals in the men. In comparison, Denmark won at home count one single WC bronze medal by Anne-Marie Rindom in “Laser Radial”.

Close interaction between athletes, coaches and researchers – as well as a massive financial investment

Of course, there are many explanations for Japan’s strong sporting position with less than 13 months before the 2020 Olympics. The most important are many financial and human resources invested by the government and the Ministry of Sports in the athletes and teams of all 33 sports that the host nation is required to participate in at the 2020 Olympics. In addition, over the past decades, Japan has built one of the world’s best organizational structures for talent development and elite sports. The primary partner in the structure is the “Japan Sports Council”, which is responsible for the development of the “Japan Institute of Sport Science” (JISS) and “AJINOMOTO National Training Center” (NTC). At these two facilities, world-class training and research environments have been created where athletes, teams, coaches and experts can conduct daily training and competition preparations ahead of the Japanese athletes and teams’ international competitions: the Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and World Cups. JISS consists of a research center for sports science and sports medicine (incl. Human Performance Lab), High Performance Gym, training facilities, modern testing facilities, nutritional guidance, training physiology and sport psychology. The research units under JISS have employed both national and international researchers who can provide advice and guidance to athletes, coaches, sports managers and federations in collaboration with the “Japan Olympic Committee”, research institutions and commercial partners. The AJINOMOTO National Training Center consists of training facilities for a variety of sports: Athletics, gymnastics, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball, badminton, martial arts, archery and shooting. In addition, there are accommodation facilities for more than 450 athletes, both from Japan and from other nations, who are invited to a training camps as sparring partners for the national athletes and teams.

References:

Japanese Olympic Committee – https://www.joc.or.jp/english/ntc/jiss.html

Veerle De Bosscher, Simon Shibli, Hans Westerbeek & Maarten Van Bottenburg: Successful Elite Sport Policies. An international comparison of the Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS 2.0) in 15 nations (Meyer & Meyer Sport, 2015).

2019 IIHF World Championship 2019 was a great success for Finland, which during the tournament defeated Sweden in the quartar final, Russia in the semi final and in the WC final the big favorites from Canada with 3 – 1. On the Finnish team, which primarily consisted of players from the Finnish league, there was one of the WC debutants in particular attracted much attention due to his performance in the WC: The only 18-year-old Kaapo Kakko from TPS in Turko. Already in the first match against Canada, Kakko showed international top class with two goals and in the second match against the WC hosts from Slovakia a hat trick from Kakko was the crucial factor in Finland’s 4-2 victory. All in all, Kakko scores 6 goals  in the 2019 WC – an unique performance. A performance which makes Kakko one of the most attractive players at the 2019 NHL Entry Draft in a few weeks. There is no doubt that Kakko can become one of NHL’s biggest profiles in the coming years.

Kaapo Kakko is an excellent example of Finland’s world-class talent development in ice hockey. It is also the unique talent development, which is the basic for the Finnish success at the Olympics and the World Championships in ice hockey. During the last decades the Finnish men’s national ice hockey team – “the Lions” – has achieved a number of excellent results in international tournaments. In the 1995 Men’s World Ice Hockey Championships, Finland won its first ever gold medal in international ice hockey and this triumph was repeated in 2011. Within the last decade, “the Lions” has won two Olympic bronze medals (2010 and 2014) and two World Championship silver medals (2014 and 2016). These results are the reason Finland is considered a member of the “Big Six”, the unofficial group of the six strongest men’s ice hockey nations, along with Canada, United States, Czech Republic, Russia and Sweden. There are of course many explanations for Finland’s international success in ice hockey. Among these are a historical tradition of the game, an increasing professionalization and commercialization at the Finnish Ice Hockey Association (FIHA) and the clubs, a strong national league (SM-liiga), great public and media interests, well-educated coaches, many ice hockey rinks and good facilities for physical training. But most importantly world-class talent identification and development, both in FIHA, clubs and sports academies.

Ice hockey – a popular game among children and youngsters in Finland

Football is the most popular sport and biggest spectator sport of many nations. In Finland football is also the biggest sport in terms of the number of players, but its popularity as a spectator sport doesn’t even come close to that of ice hockey. Today, ice hockey is clearly the most popular sport in Finland. After football and gymnastics, ice hockey is the third most popular sport of children and youngsters in Finland. More than 100.000 children and youngsters below the age of 18 play ice hockey. 38,900 children and youngsters – 3.400 girls and 35.500 boys – play ice hockey in an organized way in one of 348 clubs in the FIHA. This popularity is an important foundation for the competitiveness of ice hockey in Finland. So is the amount of training of the youngsters. As many as 71 per cent of children’s and youngsters’ club players train at least three times a week. In football, the corresponding figure is 47 per cent, and in athletics 20 per cent.

As with other Finnish sports, ice hockey is based on the voluntary work done in the sports clubs, both in the big cities and in the countryside. But there has always been a strong tradition for skilled and well-educated coaches, also in Finnish youth ice hockey. Many coaches are educated in the academic system and have many years of experience. In relation to the country’s modest population, Finland has many professional ice hockey coaches who are very well-respected in both Finland and abroad.

National training camps – a well-functioned scouting system

In the 1970’s the FIHA built a national ice hockey training center at the Finnish Sports Institute in Vierumäki, where  camp activities were started. Each of the regions in Finland sent their own team to the camp and the federation gathered the national junior teams for different age groups from players if these teams. These camps gradually developed into the core of the junior training system of the Finnish top ice hockey. They were based on the camp of the best players of the age group, testing and national team operations of different age groups, as well as the development of coaches. Today, the camp activities for different age groups are still the core of the talent identification and development system in Finnish junior ice hockey. Off course, the basic development of these talented players is done in the clubs. But the federation scouts for the talented players and through regional and national events the best players are selected for the national team of the different age groups. The well-known event is the “Pohjola Camp” – an annual event at the Finnish Sport Institute gathers the best 14 and 15 year-old players from different regions. The “Pohjola Camp” has a history of more than 50 years and all time it has been a scouting camp. If a young player goes through all the phases of the system, he will have an experience of about 100 international games when he is 20 years old.

High quality of the daily training

There is a long and strong tradition of systematic research and analysis of the game, both at individual and team level. In particular, great emphasis has been placed on the physical part of the game and individual physical training has always been a priority in youth training. Likewise, players from an early age have been tested and the test results and the analyses based on them helped to screen and develop new top players, based on corresponding test results of other top players. Today, many clubs have hired professional physical trainers for the youngsters, so they can learn to train more effectively during the summer season.

The targeted and structured physical training is also the most important reason why many young players in Finnish ice hockey debut early in the SM-league which is among the best in the world. The physically demanding game in the SM-league makes great demands on the young players’ capacity in relation to both strength, endurance and speed.

Personal skills are crucial to an international career

Ice hockey is a team sport, but both club and national team coaches in Finland have increasingly focused on developing the individual player’s personal skills. Erkka Westerlund, who is one of the most winning coaches in Finnish ice hockey and the former head coach of the Finnish national men’s icehockey team (2004-2007 and 2013-2014) says it the following way: “During the last ten years we have focused on improvement of individuals. Allthough ice hockey is team sport we concentrate to develop individuals. It is crucial that the player achieves a good skating technique with a lot of tempo and direction changes. Likewise, the player must be able to deliver and receive the puck under pressure and at high speed. The player must also be able to shoot at the goal from different positions. Without surprising shots on goal – no victories. And finally, the player must have real good mental skills: The inner motivation is to train hard and fight back after adversity is crucial if you have to go all the way – through club matches and international matches in junior ice hockey, matches in the Finnish league and from there to KHL or NHL”.

 The dream about the first Olympic gold medal

World-class talent development in the Finnish Ice Hockey Association and clubs is the main reason why Finland has achieved exceptionally good results at IIHF World U20 Championships and IIHF World U18 Championships in recent years. Finland has won WC gold medals for U20 at three out of the last six championships (2014, 2016 and 2019) and WC gold medals for U18 at two out of the last four championships (2016 and 2018). There are many reasons for great optimism for Finnish ice hockey and the nation’s pride – “the Lions” – also at the 2022 Olympics in Bejing. And probably Kaapo Kakko will be one of Finland’s largest profile in the fight for the nation’s first Olympic gold medal in ice hockey.

Sources: 

Jari Lämsä: “Lions on the Ice: the success story of Finnish ice hockey”, pp. 152 – 167 I: Svein S. Andersen & Lars Tore Ronglan: Nordic Elite Sport. Same ambitions – different tracks (Universitetsforlaget, 2012).

The Finnish Ice Hockey Association – http://www.finhockey.fi/

Two weeks ago, I was very surprised that Team Denmark submitted “Statement to the Minister of Culture about the DR documentary: Swimming stars – below the surface” without prior contact or dialogue with the undersigned, who was the CEO of Team Denmark during the period 1’st of September 2006 – 17’th of December 2014. Very quickly – as a “start jump in swimming” – my surprise disappeared: The CEO of Danish Swimming Federation Mrs. Pia Holmen is indeed Vice-Chairman of Team Danmark’s Board of Directors, nominated by The Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) and appointed by the Minister of Culture.

Mark Regan and Paulus Wildeboer – Two international, charismatic coaches

It is a fact that my knowledge of and experiences with the Danish Swimming Federation’s political, administrative and sports management – former chairman of DS’ elite swimming committee Mr. Lars Jørgensen (today Chairman of DS), CEO Mrs. Pia Holmen and High Performance Manager Mr. Lars Sørensen – are both comprehensive and thorough , since all three were “key persons” in the collaboration between Team Denmark and the Danish Swimming Federation in the period 2006-2012. It was also during the same period that Mark Regan (2004-2008) and Paulus Wildeboer (2009-2012) were employed as coaches of the national team with reference to CEO and High Performance Manager of Danish Swimming Federation. I collaborated with Regan and Wildeboer at the 2007 World Championships (Melbourne), the 2008 Olympics (Beijing), the 2009 World Championships (Rome), the 2011 World Championships (Shanghai) and the 2012 Olympics (London). They were two very different, but both authoritarian coach profiles with great charisma. And like other international top coaches: Human beings with “strong” and “weak” skills and qualities. One of the biggest weaknesses of both Regan and Wildeboer was in my opinion that they were very reserved and skeptical about working with sports psychologists – also from Team Denmark. Regan and Wildeboer’s main focus, both in the daily training and at international championships, were on physical, biomechanical, technical and tactical topics of elite swimming. On these topics they were both international top coaches. In addition, I, together with Team Denmark’s employees, saw that both Regan and Wildeboer had great development potentials in relation to mental and social topics of elite swimming and a very limited knowledge of the Danish sports culture. But the biggest challenge, in my opinion, was that the two national coaches – not formally – but, retrospectively, really were their “own director” in the Danish Swimming Federation. It has the DR documentary and the follow-up stories from former and current elite swimmers, both in DR and written media, fixed with seven-inch seams.

An indecently bad statement with marked omissions

Team Denmark’s statement to the Minister of Culture (May 1, 2019) is long – very long, but in my opinion the quality of the statement is inversely proportional to the length. The statement has some crucial omissions in relation to the competence, responsibility and role distribution between Team Denmark and the Danish Swimming Federation. A few days after the submission, Minister of Culture Mrs. Mette Bock expressed exactly the same opinion as mine. The result was that DIF and Team Danmark in dialogue with the Ministry of Culture – and not least after a intense media coverage – chose to carry out an independent investigation on the recent weeks’ reports of dissatisfaction and eating disorders among former and current Danish national team swimmers. The study will also map the factual aspects of the case, including the actions of the Danish Swimming Federation and partly looking at the culture of Danish swimming. It is very positive that an impartial investigation is being prepared, but I had clearly preferred that the Ministry of Culture was responsible for the independent investigation. However, I look with serenity to openly and honestly answer all questions.

The Act on Elite sport states that ”… Team Denmark is a self-governing institution whose aims are to develop Danish elite sports in a socially responsible manner. In collaboration with the Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF), the federations of DIF and other relevant partners, Team Denmark initiates, coordinates and optimaze joint arrangements  for elite sports in Denmark through 12 primary tasks”. Operationalization of the Act on Elite sport takes place through Team Danmark’s support programme, which over a four-year period describes which federations can obtain financial support and services (doctors, physiotherapists, dieticians, sports psychologists etc.) from Team Denmark. Likewise, the support programme describes which criteria are crucial for the federations to obtain financial support and services, divided into different categories. Danish Swimming Federation has since 2004 been placed in Team Danmark’s top category – World class – with an annual grant around 6-8 million DKK.

How did the cooperation between Team Denmark and the individual federations take place – and with what distrubution of roles and responsibilities between the two parts?

The collaboration between Team Denmark and the federations – also the Danish Swimming Federation – is based on a 4-year contract, which describes the rights and obligations of the two parts. The contract is valid for the entire period and through regular dialogue and meetings, objectives, activities related to training and competitions, finances, scope and content of services are established each year. Finally, Team Denmark’s support programme also determines the division of competencies, responsibilities and roles at different levels of collaboration. It appears from the three contracts between Team Denmark and Danish Swimming Federation (2005-2008, 2009-2012 and 2013-2016) that the steering group, which consists of Team Denmark’s CEO and TD consultant, DS ‘political, administrative and sports management, ” … is the overall committee for the collaboration between Team Denmark and the Danish Swimming Federation. The steering committee has the overall responsibility for the collaboration. The steering committee meets once a year “. In addition,” … a working group consisting of High Performance Manager, national coach(s), Team Denmark consultant and other relevant actors, prepare recommendations for the steering committee. The working group has the responsibility and competence to handle the daily work within the framework agreed in the steering committee. The working group communicates and meets regularly and follows up on development agreements and derived decision notes “. Finally, it is emphasized … … the High Performance Manager cares for the preparation of written minutes to the steering group”.

After the DR documentary, I have reviewed all the minutes of the meetings in the period 2006-2014.  Unfortunately, I must note that the Danish Swimming Federation has in several cases offence the contracts between Team Denmark and the Danish Swimming Federation. This has been done by the Danish Swimming Federation’s management not having informed Team Denmark at steering committee meetings about specific inquiries from elite swimmers and their parents about offence of “Guidelines for weighing elite swimmers”. These offencies were – and still are – unacceptable and a clear circumvention of the contracts between Team Denmark and the Danish Swimming Federation. Ten steering committee meetings were held (November 16, 2006, September 4, 2007, February 21, 2008, November 24, 2008, November 2, 2009, October 11, 2010, November 15, 2011, July 2, 2012, October 15, 2013 and June 19, 2014) between Team Denmark and Danish Swimming Federation in the period 2006-2014. And there are written, approved minutes from all steering committee meetings from 2004 until today.

Breach of collaboration contracts and guidelines

I have – regrettably it must be said today – not as Team Denmark’s CEO received oral or written inquiries from elite swimmers or their parents, if the elite swimmers are under the age of 18, regarding offence of “Guidelines for weighing elite swimmers”. I can – and do not want to deny that there are employees in Team Denmark, who in the period 2006-2014 have received inquiries about offence of “Guidelines for weighing elite swimmers” from swimmers or parents of swimmers under the age of 18. Or who personally experienced offencies of the guidelines and who did not subsequently convey this knowledge – orally or in writing – to the undersigned. If that has happened, it is very regrettable.

It is crucial for the credibility and reputation of Danish elite sport that “all stones are turned” in this case. We owe it to the Parliament, which has passed the Act on Elite sport. And we owe it to all elite swimmers, both those who won medals at international championships and those who were “hit for life”. The culture – not even in terms of management – in any institution, organization, union or club – is not changed by a “crawl tag” or two, nor backwards. I hope that the responsible representatives from the swimming clubs in Denmark at the next ordinary or extraordinary board of representatives of the Danish Swimming Federation are fully aware of voting for a competent board of directors. Then the board of directors are responsible for hiring and/or dismissing the responsible administrative manager – the CEO of the Danish Swimming Federation – if there are significant reasons that speak for this. We might get the answer to this in the fall of 2019 or maybe … never.

Postscript (May 16, 2019):

After the publication of this blog, CEO Pia Holmen stated that “…. throughout the entire period, Team Denmark has been informed of all relevant persons. The information is typically passed to Team Denmark in the working group, where Team Denmark is represented. In the steering committee, where Michael Andersen himself take part, different topics on the National swimming team has discussed at a more general level. The discussions in the steering committee on personal issues were not led to the minutes” (B.T. – May 13, 2019).

I have the following comment on this statement: “This is stated in the Act on Elite Sports at ”… Team Denmark is a public, self-governing institution. This means that Team Danmark is part of the public administration and thus is covered by the Public Procurement Act and the Public Administration Act ”. The Public Administration Act contains rules on the legal status of the citizens over the public administration and the law describes rules for case processing in relation to, among other things, xxx, consultation, access to documents, confidentiality, appeal possibilities and much more. The Public Administration Act also describes frameworks and conditions for the preparation of minutes, also in relation to personal issues. It is stated that “… the authority shall, in cases where a managing authority is decided upon, note the content of information relating to the facts of a case that is relevant to the decision. The authority shall also includes actual information received per telephone”. Team Denmark is thus obliged – always – to work out written minutes on all cases – including personal issues. Processing of personal issues must, of course, take place in an anonymised form. I can state that in the period 1’st of September 2006 – 17’th of December 2014 Team Denmark has fully complied with the requirements of the Public Administration Act regarding preparation of minutes.

Postscript (May 20, 2019):

DR – once again – showed in the DR broadcast: “National coach overrule the medical staff: Shared his own pills to swimmers” (19’th of May 2019) – that national coach Paulus Wildeboer acted to a very large extent in the individual during the period 2009-2012. I also note that CEO Pia Holmen – still – has difficulties to inform the public in a credible way. She states to DR’s website: “Today, unfortunately, there is a picture of a national coach who was deeply unfair to the agreements that were made with his employers, the Danish Swimming Federation and Team Denmark”.

Team Denmark has never been an employer of Paulus Wildeboer – or for other national coaches and/or sports directors in Danish elite sports. This responsibility has the partners of  Team Denmark – ie. the federation and thus also the Danish Swimming Federation. An crucial question is: How many warnings – oral and/or written – have CEO of The Danish Swimming Federation assigned to the national coaches: Mark Regan and Paulus Wildeboer in the period 2004-2012 for breach of guidelines and contracts of The Danish Swimming Federation and Team Denmark?

Denmark is one of the few countries in the World where the parliament – the “Folketing”, which pass all legislation and which controls how the government manages the legislation – has passed an Act on Elite sport. It was the most visionary Minister of Culture, Niels Matthiasen, who had the office in 1971-73 and 1975-80, his talented secretary Claus Bøje, as well as a number of prominent athletes and coaches who initiated the Act on Elite sport (Act No. 643), which was approved by Queen Margrethe II on December 19, 1984. During the preparatory work in the vast majority of topics, the Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) directly opposed an Act of Elite sport. There were several coherent reasons – not always logical reasons.

Inaccurate objects clause and unclear mix of tasks and means

The Act on Elite sport states that ”… Team Denmark is a self-governing institution whose aims are to develop Danish elite sports in a socially responsible manner. In collaboration with the Sport Confederation of Denmark (DIF), the federations of DIF and other relevant collaboration partners, Team Denmark initiates, coordinates and optimaze joint arrangements for elite sports in Denmark through 12 primary tasks”. These tasks range widely and it does not appear unambiguously, either in the Act on Elite sport or in comments of the Act, whether there are targets or strategies in relation to the aims of the Act. Sports results are also not specifically mentioned, either for the aims of the Act or in relation to the 12 tasks. But in my opinion, it is meaningless not to look at Team Denmark’s work from an international perspective. Shortly speaking: Good sport results at international championships such as the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the European Championships – but certainly not at all costs.

Revision of the Act on Elite sports in 2004 – a political compromise between the Minister of Culture and DIF

The Act on Elite sport from the mid-1980s has in the vast majority of topics proved – in contrast to the vast majority of the country’s other legislation – to be well-functioning over a decade of years. Only once – in 2004 – over the past 35 years, the Act on Elite sport has been revised. One of the major legislative changes in 2004 was that Team Danmark should be led by a board of eight members appointed by the Minister of Culture. 4 members are nominated by the Minister of Culture and 4 are nominated by the DIF. This distribution and competency between the two partners was a political compromise, but in my opinion one of the worst in Danish elite sport history.

It also appears that the Act’s remarks that “when composing the board, it is intended that the entire board represent a broad insight into the world of elite sport and other relevant areas (municipal policy, cultural policy, research, business life, etc.” and “at least two are current or former elite athletes and/or current or former elite sport coaches “and that” the Minister of Culture  and DIF must, when nominating and appointing the board members, ensure that the board together represents the breadth and the competencies described in the Act’s remarks “. That is, in the “spirit and letter of the Act on Elite sport” a professional – and not a political – board.

Capacity – a central principle in Danish administrative law

I have always appreciated my P.E.education, but in relation to my duties as CEO of Team Denmark, my master’s degree in political science, including public administration, has been of much greater benefit. When I joined as CEO of Team Denmark in the summer of 2006, I was aware from the first working day that there could be some very serious challenges for those of Team Danmark’s board members who at the same time were either board members or employed by DIF or one of the DIF’s federations – not least in relation to the individual board member’s imcapacity. A person is imcapacity in a case where there is a possible conflict between a person’s, group or organization’s economic, social or cultural ties to the person’s statements on issues within the same field of interest and where there are particular circumstances that may weaken confidence in the person’s imcapacity.

Already at the appointment of new board members per June 1, 2008, the challenge was “bent in neon” for me, as DIF nominated and then Minister of Culture Brian Mikkelsen appointed Niels-Christian Levin Hansen, member of the DIF’s board and chairman of the Danish Parachute Federation, to Team Danmark’s board for a 4-year period. In addition, Niels-Christian Levin Hansen, strongly engaged in “Elite Course” – a formalized network of 15-20 federations, which at that time was not financially supported by Team Denmark. And he was also a very active “lieutenant” for Niels Nygaard in the election campaign as DIF’s new chairman after the “Kai Holm era”. It will not be “completely out of the wheel” to describe the DIF’s nomination of Niels-Christian Levin Hansen to Team Danmark’s board in 2008 as a “diligence prize” for a faithful “lieutenant”.

In the subsequent nominations and re-nominations of DIF and appointment and re-election of changing Ministers of Culture – every second year – of new board members to Team Denmark, the serious challenge was maintained – or even further reinforced: Board members who were also members of the DIF’s board, board member, CEO or high performance manager of a federation has been appointed and re-appointed without much attention in the media. These people now – very often and with very different competencies in relation to the tasks in Team Danmark’s board – should fill out a double role which, on the basis of Team Danmark’s distinctive character as a professional, independent institution, has been both extremely unfortunate and, to my best, conviction to unfavorable for Danish elite sports main actors: The elite athletes.

Economic power relationship between Team Denmark and the individual federation 

Mixing of interests – as independent, professional board member of Team Denmark and politically elected or employed by DIF or a individual federation at the same time – has been numerous, both before, during and after my period as Team Denmark’s CEO in 2006-2014. Only the economic power relationship between Team Denmark and the individual federations – where Team Denmark most often finances 70-80% of the vast majority of common elite and talent budgets between Team Denmark and federation – means that everyone will be much better off by DIF only nominate and the Minister of Culture only appointe new board members who are not board members or employees of DIF or DIF’s federations. There are lots of well-qualified human beings – former elite athletes and coaches with great professional knowledge and skills, and experience from elite sports at international level – also of both sexes – who do not have this dual role. But, of course, it requires either a revised Act on Elite sport, that DIF looks for potential board members “outside the walls in The House of Sport” or that the Minister of Culture, who is to appoint new members to Team Danmark’s board – next time in May 2020 – has format such as “Culture-Niels” and a secretary in the Ministry of Culture on a par with or near Claus Bøje. I’m far from an optimist in relation to the first two opportunities – the slim hope for “clean lines” and the greatest possible independence and self-ownership for Team Denmark are linked to the coming ministers of Culture.

If you want to read more about the establishment of Team Denmark, I can recommend the book: Ivan Lønstrup & Jørn Hansen: ”Da eliteidrætten blev stueren, Eliteidræt og idrætspolitik i Danmark” ” (Syddansk Universitetsforlag, 2002).

Of course, the bottom line of any account is important, but the revenues and expenses can also be very interesting. And sometimes the most important information is the notes of the account with small founts. This was the case when the two largest sports organizations in Denmark – The Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) and The Danish Gymnastics and Sports Clubs (DGI) – a few days ago announced their current number of memberships. An increase of 26,158 unique memberships – of which 20,167 or nearly four out of five were elderly people more than 60 years of age – created almost euphoria in the boards and the managements of the two sports organizations. It is rare that an increase of 1.1% gets so many words of praise along the way. But as the two sports organizations common press release showed, “progress was crucial in achieving the goal of becoming the most sporting nation in the World”. And as long as it can be signaled to the outside world that everything is going well, there is no danger of fewer – or maybe there is anyway.

Recruiting children under the age of 12 to sports is relatively “easy”

Before the euphoria in the two sports organizations comes completely out of control, there is many reasons to focus on the biggest challenge for the organized sports in Denmark. A challenge that was not mentioned with one single sentence in the press release of DIF and DGI. Unfortunately, there is a fact that more and more adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 drop out of team sports such as football and handball – Denmark’s two most profiled sports. Either historically or currently, it has never been a major challenge to motivate children under the age of 12 – or their paying parents – to become a member of a sports club, because there is no better and cheaper “care system” for girls and boys under the age of 12. For this reason, the proportion of memberships among children under the age of 12 is very high (70-75%) in Denmark compared to other countries and very constantly over time. The most popular sports for children under the age of 12 are gymnastics (168,050), football (130,930), swimming (147,840), handball (48,175), badminton (22,505) and horse riding (19,837).

Large dropout rate among football and handball boys between 13-18 years

Until a few years ago, the number of adolescents aged 13-18 who were members of a sports federation was also relatively high and constantly over time. But over the past five years, there have been some very sad trends that should give board members, high performance managers and coaches, both in the two sports organizations – DIF and DGI – and federations such as The Danish Football Association (DBU) and The Danish Handball Federation (DHF), serious frowns. The number of DIF-memberships aged between 13 and 18 has, in the past year, “only” decreased from 250,709 to 250,541. However, the modest number of “drop outs” among the adolescents covers significant differences between individual sports and team sports. The number of 13-18-year-old players in DBU’s clubs has fallen over the past year from 75,409 to 72,697 – i.e. 2,712 players or 4% have “drop out” of the football clubs. This continues the sad trends of the past five years, with 6,887 girls and boys – or 12% – “drop outs” of the football clubs. Many of these players are certainly also “resource persons” who could be potential coaches or volunteer leaders in the club now or later in life.

Teenagers find it difficult to combine sports and youth education

Even worse is the number of drop outs among the young handball players. There are currently 24,442 handball players registered in DHF between 13 and 18 years, which is 2,450 or nearly 10% fewer than 5 years ago and 6,668 or more than 20% fewer than 10 years ago. The catastrophic decrease has also meant that fewer and fewer handball clubs are able to collect seven players for the U-14, U-16 and U-18 tournaments and even worse, the players need to spend “expensive” time at the weekend to get into matches or tournaments in the “other regions of Denmark”. If this development goes on in the future, one should not look far until DHF and the handball clubs can spend all their efforts on children’s handball or activities such as “Handball Fitness” and “Five-a-side Handball”.

There are many and complex reasons why adolescents drop out of team sports such as football and handball. Many adolescents find it very difficult to maintain their commitment to team sports when they begin at the secondary schools, where many, especially girls, drop out of team sports for the benefit of homework, leisure jobs, boyfriends and fitness in commercial centres. For many male players, the dream of a professional life remains at the top of the list of priorities in relation to lessons and grades at the beginning of the secondary school. Quickly, they learn that the demands in the secondary schools cannot be met with a modest effort and a lot of time per week spent on training and matches. Or, they are drop out of the football or handball club due to lack of skills or an “unsatisfactory and inadequate” training effort.

Team sports such as soccer and handball have a number of qualities that are not found in individual sports: dependence on the other team mates’ performance, agreements that create social development and common victories, new team mates who increase the team and their own chances of success and much, much more. Yes – in fact, I think that collaboration and feeling of community in a football or handball team is a unique democratic process and a kind of community where the team is always bigger and more important than the individual. And that value and these qualities needs today’s adolescents more than ever before.

One-sided focus on results and outdated tournament structure are the main reasons for “dropouts”

In my opinion, too many football and handball clubs has too much focus on results and an outdated tournament structure with too much time spent on transportation and matches every weekend as well as inflexible rules in relation to players’ age categories will – unfortunately – have a very large number of “drop outs” in football and handball clubs in the future. More than ever before, there is a need for new visions, creativity and concrete proposals – both in DBU, DHF and in the football and handball clubs – if the clubs must continue to recruit and not least maintain the adolescents in the clubs. If this does not happen, the two sports organizations, the two federations – DBU and the DHF – and the clubs, seriously fail their most important core task: Sports for children and youth.