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Partnership between the new Institute and the Olympic Committee of Israel to provide Israel’s Olympic squads with advanced scientific and research support to enhance performance ahead of Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games
Tel Aviv, Israel – July 8, 2026 – Tel Aviv University today officially opened the Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute, a major new research and performance center established to give Israeli athletes a competitive advantage through science, technology and personalized support. Connecting world-class academic research with the daily needs of elite athletes, the Institute is designed to help turn scientific insight into medals, records and lasting national sporting achievement.
Made possible through an approximately $35 million philanthropic gift from businessman and philanthropist Sylvan Adams, the Institute is dedicated to advancing sport in Israel and around the world through groundbreaking research, scientific and performance support for athletes, and professional education, bringing together science, technology and elite sport under one roof.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Adams, Tel Aviv University President Prof. Ariel Porat, Chair of the Olympic Committee of Israel and IOC Member Yael Arad, Head of the Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute Prof. Eran Ben Gal, Olympic cyclist Mikhail Yakovlev, and other leading Israeli athletes.
Established with the vision of giving Israeli sport a competitive advantage through science, research and technology, the Institute’s purpose-built facility combines multidisciplinary research and applied infrastructure designed to provide athletes with comprehensive, evidence-based performance support and personalized guidance to improve performance and maximize achievement. Its services will be available on an ongoing basis to Olympic and Paralympic athletes, elite competitors across a wide range of sports, and members of Israel’s broader sporting community.
The Institute features one of Israel’s most advanced sport science environments, including leading sport science laboratories developed in collaboration with Tel Aviv University’s Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences and Faculty of Engineering, an advanced scientific gym, a unique climate chamber capable of simulating the temperature and humidity conditions of competitions around the world, comprehensive fitness assessment facilities, motion analysis technologies integrated with high-speed video systems, an advanced swimming flume, and a hypoxic hotel capable of simulating altitudes of up to 5,000 meters.
In addition, athletes will have access to physiological performance assessments, training consultation, nutrition counseling, and mental performance support, all designed to help each athlete realize their full potential. The Institute’s multidisciplinary team includes sport scientists, physiologists, engineers, data scientists and AI specialists, physicians, and public health experts working together to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions that improve athletic performance.
These facilities will enable the Institute’s researchers and professional staff to conduct world-class applied research while transforming scientific discoveries into practical tools that enhance the performance of Israel’s elite athletes.
During the launch event, the Institute also announced a strategic partnership with the Olympic Committee of Israel, strengthening collaboration between the two organizations through joint research initiatives and scientific support for selected members of Israel’s Olympic squads. Participating athletes will undergo regular performance assessments and receive ongoing scientific guidance to develop personalized training programs, improve performance, and optimize preparations for the World Championships, European Championships, and the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Sylvan Adams, businessman and philanthropist, said: “The Institute lays the scientific, technological, and research foundation that will help Israeli athletes achieve new levels of sporting excellence. I believe that bringing together research, innovation, and professional excellence will help develop Israel’s next generation of champions. When I look at the Olympic Games, I see 36 different sports in which athletes compete. I chose to focus on cycling, and together with Mikhail Yakovlev, we will bring home a medal at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. Now I invite my fellow philanthropists and sports enthusiasts: choose a sport, invest in that discipline and in its leading athletes, and I am confident that together we can bring even more Olympic medals to Israel.”
Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, said: “We are proud to inaugurate the Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute today, a project that would not have come into being without Sylvan’s extraordinary generosity. The Institute’s areas of focus include promoting health through physical activity, exercise physiology, and, naturally, competitive sport. Sylvan, the son of Holocaust survivors, is an exceptional Zionist who loves Israel and the Jewish people and has devoted his energy and resources for many years to strengthening the State of Israel in numerous fields. We are proud that Sylvan has once again chosen to support Tel Aviv University, and we deeply value his friendship.”
Yael Arad, Chair of the Olympic Committee of Israel and IOC Member, said: “Competition in international sport becomes more demanding every year, and countries are constantly searching for the unique advantage that will enable them to compete with the world’s sporting powers. The Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute will undoubtedly become a significant—and at times decisive—competitive advantage for Israel’s athletes, joining the scientific support system and performance capabilities that the Olympic Committee of Israel has built for its Olympic squads over the past decade. We are proud to mark the launch of this new strategic partnership. On a personal note, Sylvan Adams’ contribution to Israeli sport is unparalleled. From facilities such as the National Velodrome to this new research Institute, his investment in critical sporting infrastructure is changing the rules of the game, and on behalf of Israeli sport, we thank him.”
Prof. Eran Ben Gal, Head of the Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute, said: “What makes the Institute unique is its ability to transform scientific data into practical recommendations. Every athlete will receive a professional assessment and an individualized performance plan designed to improve results, optimize training, reduce the risk of injury, and monitor progress over time. Alongside elite athletes, the Institute will also provide services to sports clubs, coaches, recreational athletes, and members of the public seeking to train in a more precise and science-based way.”
