The IOC Certificate in Mental Health in Elite Sport is aimed at members of the athlete entourage other than: 1) physicians or 2) licensed practitioners who are qualified to provide mental health services. For example, this Program is available to: physiotherapists, athletic trainers, kinesiologists, chiropractors, nutritionists, dieticians, physiologists and other sport scientists, and coaches.

The IOC Certificate in Mental Health in Elite Sport is awarded by the International Olympic Committee (www.olympic.org), as part of the program of activities of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission. The Certificate program is awarded under the Academic oversight of an international Academic Advisory Board. The members of this Advisory Board advise on the academic standards of the IOC Certificate, including suitability of applicants, quality assurance of course content, and the moderation of student assessment. More details about the Advisory Board Members can be found on the “Advisory Board” webpage of the IOC Certificate website. 

The Medical and Scientific Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has recognised the important role that members of the athlete entourage play in protecting the health and wellbeing of athletes. As part of its commitment to supporting the health and performance of athletes and to the continuing professional development of those who care for them, the IOC Medical Commission offers the IOC Certificate in Mental Health in Elite Sport.

The workload for the whole Certificate program has a nominal teaching and learning load of approximately 48 hours, spread ideally over three to six months. However, students may sign up for and begin the Certificate program at any time and take any amount of time to complete it that they wish. It is important to realise that the time it takes to go through the e-lectures, to read the set literature, and to prepare the final assessment will vary greatly between individuals. It is obvious that some people can achieve a satisfactory performance with a considerably smaller investment of time, but others may need to – or may choose to – invest more. Although the Certificate program is completed ideally over three to six months, students have considerable flexibility as to how they choose to distribute the workload over time.

The Certificate program consists of six online lectures supported by additional reading materials, with the lectures specifically covering:  (1) Overview and the athlete voice, (2) Mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes: introduction and general prevalence, (3) Stressors and environmental factors that influence athlete mental health, (4) General principles of management of mental health symptoms and disorders, (5) Overview of specific mental health symptoms and disorders in elite sport, and (6) Screening for mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes. For those desiring a certificate of completion, assessment will be through a final written examination covering all aspects of the Certificate program. 

Lectures in the form of computer-based presentations by leading international experts consist of a PowerPoint presentation with associated video and audio track. Lecture material is supplemented by a program of directed study, including review papers, original research publications, textbooks and athlete-oriented guidebooks. Additional materials are posted on the program website.

The International Olympic Committee Certificate and Diploma programs have achieved widespread, worldwide recognition reflective of thorough, high-quality training. 

The Certificate program includes contributions from the Program Directors and two international athletes who are members of the program’s International Academic Advisory Board. All are recognised as world leaders in their fields and all have extensive practical experience. Faculty have been selected not only for their expertise but also for their ability to present information in a clear and accessible way.

All resources needed for completion of the program are provided without further financial commitment. This includes not only the online lectures but also a portfolio of reading material that includes full online access to the British Journal of Sports Medicine and online access to core textbooks for two years.

No, the fee is due in one upfront payment.