Author: Federal Office of Sport FOSPO
Source: news.admin.ch
Publication Date: 28 November 2025
Summary Reading Time: 4 minutes

Executive Summary

The Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen (SFISM) is launching a long-term study (2025–2029) funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, which for the first time systematically investigates the mental health of young competitive athletes in Switzerland – including those who leave the system prematurely. The study follows Swiss Olympic cardholders from the 2008 and 2010 birth cohorts over three years and focuses on risk factors such as selection pressure as well as protective factors such as self-compassion and parental support. The goal is to develop concrete prevention measures and create a more inclusive sports system that supports young people even after they exit competitive sports – an overdue correction of a system that has primarily focused on peak performance rather than holistic development.

Critical Guiding Questions

1. Who bears responsibility for failed sports careers?
How much personal responsibility lies with young people, parents, and coaches – and where does the structural responsibility of sports associations and politics begin to create a system that catches not only winners but also those who drop out?

2. Is there a risk of over-regulating youth development?
Could an increased focus on mental health and protective factors undermine the necessary resilience and performance readiness of young athletes – or is this a long-overdue humanization of a merciless selection system?

3. What innovations emerge from a more inclusive understanding of sport?
What economic and social opportunities arise when athletes who drop out are viewed not as "failures" but as talents with transferable skills (discipline, teamwork, resilience)?

Scenario Analysis: Future Perspectives

Short-term (1 year):
Sports associations begin to receive results from the first survey wave. Initial pilot projects on mental health literacy are implemented in selected squad programs. Possible resistance in traditionally performance-oriented associations that fear "softness."

Medium-term (5 years):
Policy recommendations lead to adjusted funding guidelines: Swiss Olympic and cantons could be required to structurally anchor exit support and psychological assistance. Greater professionalization of coaches in mental health. First generation of "consciously withdrawn" athletes could serve as role models for alternative career paths.

Long-term (10–20 years):
Paradigm shift in Swiss competitive sports: From the "pyramid" (few winners at the top) to the "square" (broad base with diverse definitions of success). Social value change in which athletic excellence is no longer measured exclusively by medals. Possible role model function for other countries and sectors (e.g., gifted education, startup culture).

Main Summary

a) Core Topic & Context

Starting in 2025, the SFISM is systematically investigating the mental health of young competitive athletes (14–19 years) in Switzerland, including those who leave the system prematurely. The research approach breaks with the previous focus on elite athletes and centers on the vulnerable developmental phase of young people – a response to growing evidence of psychological stress in competitive sports and social debates about child welfare.

b) Key Facts & Figures

  • Project Title: "From a Pyramid to a Square in Understanding Youth Athletes' Mental Health"
  • Duration: 2025–2029 (4 years)
  • Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation
  • Target Group: All Swiss Olympic cardholders from the 2008 and 2010 birth cohorts
  • Methodology: Longitudinal study over 3 years, twice yearly online questionnaires, supplemented by qualitative interviews with dropouts
  • Participation: Voluntary
  • Investigation Areas: Risk factors (selection pressure, injuries), protective factors (self-compassion, parental support, health literacy of organizations)

c) Stakeholders & Affected Parties

  • Young Athletes: Directly affected target group, especially those under selection pressure or after dropping out
  • Parents: Influence on protective factors, possibly also source of additional pressure
  • Coaches and Sports Associations: Responsible for implementing future recommendations
  • Swiss Olympic and Cantons: Funding and regulatory bodies
  • Politics: Addressee of recommendations for systemic reforms
  • Society: Co-responsible for performance pressure and success definitions

d) Opportunities & Risks

Opportunities:

  • Data-Based Prevention: Early identification of at-risk youth and targeted interventions
  • Cultural Change in Sports: Destigmatization of psychological stress, promotion of holistic athlete development
  • Economic Perspectives: Better utilization of skills of former athletes (discipline, teamwork) in other professional fields
  • International Leadership Role: Switzerland as a role model for humane competitive sports

Risks:

  • Resistance from Traditional Structures: Associations could ignore or delay recommendations
  • Over-Therapeuticization: Risk of pathologizing normal developmental crises
  • Unclear Effectiveness: Study results do not automatically guarantee systemic changes
  • Voluntariness as Bias: Participation is voluntary – particularly vulnerable youth could be underrepresented

e) Action Relevance

For Sports Associations:
Preparation for possible adjustments in training and support structures. Early integration of mental health literacy in coach training programs.

For Parents:
Awareness of their own role as protective or risk factor. Critical reflection on performance expectations and quality of support.

For Politics:
Willingness to translate results into funding guidelines. Question of financing structural prevention measures and exit support.

For Former Athletes:
Potential destigmatization and development of alternative career paths – provided results lead to concrete support structures.

Quality Assurance & Fact-Checking

  • Verified: Project title, SNF funding, duration, target group (Swiss Olympic cardholders birth cohorts 2008 and 2010)
  • To verify: [⚠️ Exact number of affected youth – No information in press release]
  • To verify: [⚠️ Amount of SNF funding – No information]
  • Note: Publication date (28.11.2025) is in the future – likely a typo, correct date probably 28.11.2024

Additional Research

1. Swiss Olympic: Mental Health Initiatives
Review of existing programs on mental health (e.g., "Sports Psychology in Elite Sports")

2. WHO/Lancet: Mental Health in Adolescent Athletes
International studies on mental stress in youth sports for contextualization

3. Swiss National Science Foundation: Sports Psychology Funding Portfolio
Classification of the project within broader research strategy

Bibliography

Primary Source:
EHSM study aims to better understand mental health of young athletes – Federal Office of Sport FOSPO, 28 November 2025

Additional Sources:

  1. [⚠️ To research: Swiss Olympic Mental Health Programs]
  2. [⚠️ To research: Lancet studies on mental health in youth sports]
  3. [⚠️ To research: SNF project database]

Verification Status: ✅ Core information verified with official government source on 28.11.2024 (assumed correct date)

💬 Journalistic Compass (Internal Self-Review)

  • 🔍 Power critically questioned: Systemic responsibility of associations and politics highlighted
  • ⚖️ Freedom and personal responsibility: Balance between individual resilience and structural support addressed
  • 🕊️ Transparency: Data gaps (participant numbers, funding amount) explicitly marked
  • 💡 Food for thought: Guiding questions challenge critical engagement with success paradigms

Version: 1.0
Author: [email protected]
License: CC-BY 4.0
Last Update: 28 November 2024