ABSTRACT
The avalanche of sport science from academic institutions then lends itself to the clamour for evidence-based practice – particularly in government: science can lend both the prior rationale for and the post measurement accountability of investment. While science – or critical method – has always been applied to enhance sport performance, to thinking it was really in the 1960s and 70s with the Eastern European regimens that the systematic use of scientists really took hold in sport. Early Olympic reports include reference to potions, strychnine and alcohol for the glory of gold. To understand the journey of sport science to institutionalisation, perhaps need to consider the growth of an industry: something proves successful, demand goes up, and training institutions gear up to provide the supply. In the case of sport science, the demand spawned an explosion of university sport science departments, which in turn – as an attractive subject – grew their own demand.
