Corvinus University wins International Olympic Case Study Competition

Four undergraduate students from Corvinus University of Budapest travelled to Switzerland to compete in the first in-person edition of the International Olympic Case Study Competition, and came home as champions.

Business and Management students Andrei Krajuhin, Gergely Ganyecz, and Kseniia Pyzhova, and International Business Student Desislava Dostinova, represented Corvinus University of Budapest at the International Olympic Case Study Competition (IOCSC) in Lausanne, Switzerland; home of the International Olympic Committee. Full Professor Miklós Stocker and Associate Professor Zsolt Havran co-advised the team combining strategic and sport management competences.

The IOCSC is a problem-based learning programme, inviting students to apply academic knowledge in solving real-world challenges in sports management, through applied research and collaborative analysis. This year’s edition focused on the theme “Accompanying and Supporting Young Elite Athletes”.

The team had previously competed together on the prestigious Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge competition in Bangkok.

The competitors had to solve the case of Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique. The case challenged the team to create strategies to support elite young athletes across the globe, improve the quality of coaching practice, and further engage young adults in the sport. This required a different viewpoint than they were used to before. 

Our team came with an overarching strategy to adress all these questions. They suggested fostering olympic solidarity through a scholarship program for young athletes from developing countries and improving the governance structure of the FIG. These acted as a strong foundation for further initiatives that aimed to improve coaches with mandatory multi-module training and engage the youth trough a shared gymnastics application. Overall, the team placed significant emphasis on improving safeguarding and transparency across the entire sport.

The CSC was not only a competition but an educational opportunity; the organisers from the International Olympic Committee Study Centre ensured a rich educational experience, aligned with the Olympic values, enabling the participants to understand the benefits of balancing the mind and body. 

“Although this was not in the selection criteria, nor did we put too much emphasis on it during the preparation period, our team was very well aligned with Olympic movements’ values of excellence, respect and friendship,” said Professor Stocker.

With the importance of sports management in mind, Corvinus University is currently accepting applications for a new International Sports Business master’s program, starting September 2026.

“The aim of Corvinus University’s Sports Management specialisation, and the new International Sports Business master’s program, is to offer its students the same international opportunities as the world’s best sports management programs. We will provide every support possible to ensure our students can travel to Lausanne again,” said Associate Professor Havran.