Explanatory video of the PotAS Commission on the funding cycle of German elite sport

Germany's top athletes represent our country at international events and compete with the world's elite for top rankings.

In the numerous challenges on the road to success, they are supported by their national sports federations. These are funded by the federal government with public funds, which are to be distributed according to the existing potential in the individual disciplines. The so-called funding cycle exists for this purpose.

First, the PotAS Commission analyses and weights the potential of the national sport federations in relation to the individual disciplines according to sports science and sports performance criteria - independently and objectively. The final result is a ranking of the disciplines.

The results are incorporated as a fundamental basis for the structural discussions.

Here, the national sport federations present their detailed demand planning - for example in the areas of young talent, training or competition - for the respective disciplines. In this way, they supplement the quantitative PotAS analysis with qualitative aspects.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior and the German Olympic Sports Confederation take the data and analyses to the funding commission. There, partly in cooperation with the federal states, a final decision is made on the level of funding to be targeted for the national sport federations in the respective Olympic cycle. 

Once the federal budget has come into force, the corresponding funds will be applied for from the Federal Office of Administration.

The funding cycle for German elite sport: an essential component for future success in international elite sport.