The IOC Olympic Prize
by Benno M. Nigg
Physical activity and exercise play a central role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Advances in movement-related science have demonstrated the numerous benefits that physical activity has on the human body.
The IOC Medical Commission has a number of programs that support the study of human movement, exercise and sport. Pfizer joined with the IOC Medical Commission to form the Olympic Prize Partnership in a global effort to spur significant scientific discoveries that benefit humankind. The joint projects in this partnership include the IOC Olympic Prize, the Olympic Academy of Science, the IOC World Congress and the research projects during the Olympic Games.
The IOC Olympic Prize endowed by Pfizer is awarded every two years (in conjunction with the Olympic Summer and Winter Games) to a scientist for contributions that advance the science of movement, exercise and sport and that make a great impact on society. Recipients of the IOC Olympic Prize receive
- an Olympic medal
- a diploma of excellence and
- a US$ 500,000 cash award.
The next IOC Olympic Prize will be awarded during a special presentation ceremony at the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, USA, in February 2002.
The first prize, the IOC Olympic Prize 1996, was awarded to Dr. Jeremy N. Morris and Dr. Ralph S. Paffenbarger, Jr. for their pioneering studies demonstrating how exercise reduces the risk of heart disease. The research findings of Drs. Morris and Paffenbarger changed the practice of medicine and inspired the fitness revolution. The ground-breaking work of these two leading epidemiologists has brought respect to research in the area of health and fitness and inspired additional studies that have contributed enormously to providing the relationship between physical activity and a reduction in the incidence of coronary heart disease.
The second prize, the IOC Olympic Prize 1998, was awarded to Savio L.-Y. Woo, Ph.D. for his pioneering contributions to the understanding of the properties of connective tissues, the effects of exercise on tissue properties and the possibilities for repair of injured tissues. His work had a significant effect on basic research in this area as well as on the medical treatment of ligament injuries, injuries that occur frequently in physical activities. A large number of individuals benefit directly from his research.
In recognition of his contributions to the science behind enhanced athletic performance and disease state management, John O. Holloszy, MD was selected as the recipient of the third prize, the IOC Olympic Prize 2000. Dr. Holloszy was selected for his leadership in uncovering the mystery behind the correlation between muscle adaptation during exercise and its effect on the overall health of the human body. His groundbreaking discoveries led to significant breakthroughs in preventative medicine as it relates to heart disease, diabetes, obesity and the elderly.
Call for nominations
for the IOC Olympic Prize 2002
Nominations for the IOC Olympic Prize 2002 should be submitted for specific findings resulting from outstanding basic and/or applied research related to human movement, exercise and/or sport. This research may be in the fields of medical, biological, physical, or psychological science, and must represent a significant innovation, contribute to the betterment of humankind and/or significantly impact science, health, and/or society.
Required information for nominations:
- Brief biographical sketch
- Education and professional development of the nominee
- Proposed citation for the award
- List of awards and honours (maximum of 10)
- Scientific achievement (2 page maximum, one major finding, document primacy)
- Three most significant publications
- Relevance of the described finding(s) for movement, exercise and/or sport
- Three letters of endorsement
- List of publications
- Submit one original (single sided and unbound) plus 17 copies (double sided and bound)
Deadline: Nominations for the 2002 IOC-Olympic Prize must be received no later than
April 1st, 2001 at the following address:
IOC-Olympic Prize
International Olympic Committee, Medical Commission,
Château de Vidy, CH-1007 Lausanne, Switzerland
Tel: 41-21-621-6517 Fax: 41-21-621-6357
Email: susan.greinig@olympic.org
Information: The chair of the Selection Committee is available for answering
questions regarding the IOC-Olympic Prize and for providing further details
regarding the preparation of nomination packages, as follows:
B.M. Nigg, Dr.sc.nat., Professor
Chair: Selection Committee IOC-Olympic Prize
Human Performance Laboratory
The University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
Tel: 403-220-3436 Fax: 403-284-3553
Email: nigg@ucalgary.ca