The first Act on the promotion of elite sports was passed by the Danish Parliament to take effect from January 1st, 1985, and until June 1st, 2004 this Act has been the foundation and framework for the work of Team Danmark.
In the middle of the eighties there was a feeling of uncertainty concerning the general attitude of the State towards elite sports. The passing of the Act eliminated this uncertainty, and at the same time the Act became the starting signal for initiatives enabling the Danish athletes to achieve top results at international sport events. The Act stressed that the aim for top results should be achieved in a "socially acceptable and justifiable way", and defined 7 tasks to be carried out by Team Danmark.
The financing of Team Danmark should be an interaction between the State, the sport itself, and business and trade. This constellation has proven its viability, and has to a great extend contributed to ensure that Danish athletes have been able to manifest themselves in the increasing keen international competition.
On June 1st, 2004 the new Act on elite sports took effect. The Act was passed through Parliament with a vast majority, and among others it aimed to strengthen the co-operation between the Ministry for Culture and Team Danmark. At the same time the Act meant changes in the organising of Team Danmark. The Committee of Representatives was dissolved and the number of members of the Board increased from 7 to 8. Furthermore the Act now describes 12 main targets (see link to main targets).
The strengthening of the relation between the Ministry for Culture and Team Danmark results in a contract of results, which outlines the overall strategy of Team Danmark within the next period of 4 years. The contract will deal with all areas of overall planning and stating the priorities and main tasks enabling Denmark to manifest itself in top sports at the highest international level.
Team Danmark is based at House of Sports in Copenhagen, where most of the national federations are also housed.
Address
The address is: Idraettens Hus, Broendby Stadion 20, DK-2605 Broendby, Denmark. Telephone: +0045 43 26 26 26, telefax: + 0045 43 26 25 55. E-mail: post@teamdanmark.dk, homepage: www.teamdanmark.dk.
Objectives of Team Danmark
The act stresses that Team Danmark shall carry out the overall planning of elite sports in Denmark. This includes the following main tasks:
- Overall planning
- A cultural and political sound development of elite sports
- Optimum training and coaching possibilities for athletes
- A sound development of athletes physically, personally, and socially.
- Recruiting of talents and development of these
- Individual financial support for athletes
- Counselling, research and communication of research results
- Counselling of athletes on educational issues
- Employmental and social support
- Providing counselling and financial support for national federations
- Co-operation with municipality authorities regarding elite sports, f. inst. facilities
- Co-operation with media and sponsors, and sales of rights and other services
Download The Top-level Sport Act.
Finances
Team Danmark has an annual budget of approx. DKK 125 million. The budget is made up of funds granted by the Ministry of Culture and the Danish Sports Federation (75%) as well as profits from sale of TV rights and income from Team Danmark’s own sponsor and marketing divisions (25%).
The Top Athlete in the central position
Since early 1985 the target of the institution has always been to place the athletes in the centre of the work.
After the Olympic Games in Sydney 2000, Team Danmark introduced a brand new vision: Denmark – the best place in the world to be a top athlete. This vision has since then been the guideline enabling top athletes to achieve top level results and ensuring that also in the future Denmark will play a role in international elite sports.
The concept of support is centred on the perspective of achieving results and focused on the athletes and national federation with a capacity and will to do so. Internally the expert areas such as sports medicine, nutrition and physical training are upgraded. Testing, research and mental training are targeted towards the needs defined in co-operation with the individual national federation, and role of consultants is aiming towards improvements in a close co-operation with the staff responsible for the top athletes in the individual national federations.
Team Danmark has chosen to aim at 3 types of federations: top, elite, and individuals. In this instance the national federation should meet the following criterions:
- International perspective of results
- Consensus in the elite work from club to national team
- Policy for the elite
- Resources to meet the aims
- Professional organisation
- Political rooting of the aims.
Since Team Danmark’s start in 1985 there has been a steady progress in the number of medals won in OG, WC, and EC. Below you can find the statistics of medals for a period of 20 years.
