BaySpo receives ‘Thesis Award’ at the World University Games

The World University Games, organised by FISU, are the Olympic Games of university sport. Around 8,500 student athletes and their support teams from 150 countries gathered in and around Bochum, Duisburg and Essen, along with an additional venue in Berlin. Competitors took part in 18 sports, many of which are considered stepping stones for future international stars. Unfortunately, the University of Bayreuth’s sports programme was unable to send elite athletes to this year’s Games. However, its sports economics students are known for their expertise in organising sport and sporting events. Bayreuth’s Dr Uwe Scholz also represented the German delegation at the Games as Head Coach for Tennis.

But from Bayreuth’s perspective, one success outshone all others. Maxime Launay’s master’s thesis was awarded first prize in the “Outstanding Thesis Award” at the FISU World Conference. “It still feels somewhat surreal,” said the sports economics graduate. “I barely made the deadline. My supervisor told me the thesis had received top marks and encouraged me to submit it for the award. But we never imagined it would actually win first place.” Professor Dr Markus Kurscheidt had a good instinct: “I didn’t expect it to win gold either. But I had a good feeling – the thesis matched the criteria perfectly, and it was convincing throughout, theoretically, methodologically and stylistically. I haven’t supervised a master’s thesis of this calibre in quite some time.”

Launay’s research examined the 2024 Olympic Summer Games and the critical public debate surrounding the expense of the Games amid declining trust in global sports organisations like the International Olympic Committee (IOC). His study focused on reforms in the execution of such mega-events, under the title: “Paris 2024 as a Pilot Project for IOC Modernisation: A Survey Study of Olympic Attitudes Among the General Public”. Professor Kurscheidt suspects that the highly topical issue, the primary empirical survey involving well over 500 respondents, and the sophisticated statistical analysis impressed the jury. Based on his findings, Launay concludes: “The critical attitude [towards the Olympic Games] is largely explained by low public trust in the organisation, driven by increasing commercialisation and politicisation. However, this integrity deficit can be partially offset by emotionally conveying the Olympic values.” His thesis clearly demonstrates that strengthening the integrity of the Games and returning to the foundational values of the Olympic movement should be pursued more consistently by the IOC.

Launay uncovered numerous findings, insights and implications in his thesis. But one question remains unanswered: “I’m not quite sure yet what I’ll do with the €1,500 prize money,” said the modest graduate. “Right now, my career prospects following graduation are my main focus. Perhaps I’ll put the money towards a holiday in the near future.”