ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces, defines and discusses the term "training environment" as the key outcome of research project. As athletes and coaches spend enormous amounts of time in their respective training environments, it can be expected that any improvement in this set up is to have a certain 'multiplier effect'. The leading training centres in a sport system are referred to as 'national training centres'. The training venue for one sport can be provided by the government, while running the venue for another sport can rely on private funds and commercial activities. The purpose of the desk research phase was to merge the current knowledge in the academic literature with the contemporary debate in elite sport management practice. The current Sports Policy factors Leading to International Sporting Success (SPLISS) model structures the building blocks of an elite sport system in nine Pillars.
