Supporting ECSS’s mission to disseminate high quality, innovative science and its application, this award showcases the most innovative science published in EJSS in one calendar year.

Eligibility for the award

Journal articles published in the calendar year prior to the congress are eligible for the award. For example, in 2025, papers will be considered from Volume 24 (calendar year 2024).

Process

Associate Editors nominate papers from their section published in the calendar year. An editorial panel reviews all nominations and selects an overall winner.

Criteria

• Open to all age groups and career levels.
• Associate Editors nominate papers for consideration according to the following criteria:
• Originality: The paper is innovative and constructively engages with new or complex problems.
• Significance: The paper makes an important contribution to the advancement of knowledge in sport science.
• Methodological rigour: The paper uses robust and appropriate methods to address the research question.
• Potential impact: The paper has the potential to alter prevailing theory or practice in sport science.

Timeline

• January to February – The Editor-in-Chief contacts Associate Editors for their nominations. The Editorial Panel reviews nominations and selects the EJSS Best Paper Award winner and other ranked papers based on the above criteria.
• March – lead authors are notified. The 1^st place award winner is invited to attend the ECSS Annual Congress. All ranked papers are announced via ECSS channels.
• July – the 1^st place award winner is officially presented with the award at the ECSS Annual Congress.

Award ceremony

The EJSS Best Paper Award is officially announced at the ECSS Annual Congress by the Editor-in-Chief and ECSS President.

Prize money

• €1,000 in prize money is granted to the winner of the award (the lead author).
• Congress registration fee is waived for the lead author of the winning paper.

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