The project is being implemented with the support of Play the Game and the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, organisations that have achieved recognition from the European Union for studies in the governance field.

COC President Baltazar Medina said the challenge is to strengthen Colombia’s 55 sports federations.

Nestor Ordoñez Saavedra, the UDCA’s sports science programme director, said the academic alliance will help to improve Colombian sport.

The university will contribute to solving problems in the sector, especially in the field of sports management, it is claimed.

The first day of training took place last week and was attended by employees of the academic board of the COC as well as teachers Ana Maria Arias Castano, Jose Ramos Acosta and Julie Gomez Solano, and students of the UDCA’s sports science programmes.

Also invited were professors from the University of Antioquia – Liliana Maria Cardona Mejía – and the National School of Sport – Martha Cecilia Rodriguez Sandino.

They developed the study with the 55 sports federations, which have their headquarters in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla and Cartagena.

The COC and the UDCA are due to present the results of the second phase of the project at the Play the Game 2019 conference in Colorado Springs in the United States from October 13 to 16.

The conference will gather journalists, scientists and sport officials from all over the world.