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The ‘Tipico Champion Initiative’ is a project of the Tipico Group and part of the company’s corporate social responsibility activities. Its central component is the ‘Tipico Champion Fund’, established in partnership with Sporthilfe, which supports top German athletes on their path to national and international titles.
The ‘Tipico Champion Fund’ is a joint support program run by the ‘Tipico Champion Initiative’ and Sporthilfe. It is aimed at athletes who are already receiving support from Sporthilfe and, upon successful application, offers them a customized support package tailored to their individual athletic needs.
After initial successes, athletes are faced with the question of how they can defend their top position or take their performance to the next level. Existing support programs reach their limits here. The ‘Tipico Champion Fund’ closes this gap with targeted, project-based support: individually tailored to each athlete’s specific needs. Within this framework, athletes can apply for funding in the areas of training and performance, equipment costs, physical and mental health and recovery, as well as nutrition.
The fund is intended for athletes on Sporthilfe’s financially supported Top Team – including those competing in Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, and non-Olympic sports. Athletes who are currently on the Potential Team but were part of the Top Team within the past 24 months are also eligible to apply.
Athletes apply using a form and a 30-second video. In the video, they introduce themselves and explain how they plan to use the funding. They also state the athletic goal they hope to achieve with it. After approval by the relevant sports federation, the Sporthilfe evaluation committee decides on the award.
The Sporthilfe evaluation committee makes decisions based on transparent criteria following approval by the relevant sports federation. The committee consists of former world-class athletes. All members serve in a volunteer capacity and contribute their expertise and experience in elite sports performance.
The evaluation committee currently consists of the following members: Rugby international Till Behnke, Paralympic swimming champion Kirsten Bruhn, Olympic canoeing champion Olaf Heukrodt, javelin world champion Steffi Nerius, skiing world champion Miriam Vogt, swimming world champion Mark Warnecke, Olympic judo champion Frank Wieneke, and a representative of the DOSB.
No. The decision on who receives funding rests solely with the Sporthilfe evaluation committee. As the national sponsor of Sporthilfe, Tipico provides the funding through the ‘Tipico Champion Initiative’, but is not involved in selecting the athletes to be supported.
Tipico has been a part of German elite sports for over 20 years and maintains partnerships with Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga, 3. Liga, and the DFB Cup. A passion for peak performance is therefore deeply rooted in the company’s DNA. As a national sponsor of Sporthilfe, Tipico is now expanding this commitment to athletes outside of German football. At the heart of this is a long-term partnership based on shared values: Together, Tipico and Sporthilfe aim to promote top-level performance, highlight excellence, and support athletes on their journey to the world’s elite.
