Tel Aviv University has inaugurated the Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute, a new research and performance center established through an approximately $35 million philanthropic gift from businessman and philanthropist Sylvan Adams.
The institute aims to give Israeli athletes a competitive edge by combining academic research, advanced technology and personalized scientific support. It will also partner with the Olympic Committee of Israel to help prepare the country's Olympic squads for the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Adams, Tel Aviv University President Prof. Ariel Porat, Olympic Committee of Israel chair and IOC member Yael Arad, institute head Prof. Eran Ben Gal, Olympic cyclist Mikhail Yakovlev and other leading Israeli athletes.
Speaking at the launch, Adams said the institute would help propel Israeli sport forward. "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... 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."
Designed to bridge academic research with elite sports, the institute will provide ongoing support to Olympic and Paralympic athletes, as well as competitors across a wide range of sports. Researchers and professional staff will work together to translate scientific findings into practical tools that improve athletic performance.
The facility includes advanced 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 climate chamber capable of simulating competition conditions around the world, fitness assessment facilities, motion analysis systems, a swimming flume and a hypoxic hotel that can simulate altitudes of up to 5,000 meters.
Athletes will also have access to physiological testing, nutrition counseling, mental performance support and personalized training programs delivered by multidisciplinary teams that include sport scientists, physiologists, engineers, physicians, data scientists and AI specialists.
Ben Gal said the institute's distinguishing feature is its ability to apply research directly to athletic performance. "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."
He added that the institute would also provide services to sports clubs, coaches, recreational athletes and members of the public seeking science-based training.
During the launch event, the institute announced a strategic partnership with the Olympic Committee of Israel. Under the agreement, selected members of Israel's Olympic teams will undergo regular performance assessments and receive scientific guidance to optimize their preparation for the World Championships, European Championships, and the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
Arad said the collaboration would strengthen Israel's competitive standing on the international stage. "The Sylvan Adams Sport Science Institute will undoubtedly become a significant—and at times decisive—competitive advantage for Israel's athletes... We are proud to mark the launch of this new strategic partnership."
She also praised Adams' longstanding contribution to Israeli sport, saying, "Sylvan Adams' contribution to Israeli sport is unparalleled... and on behalf of Israeli sport, we thank him."
Porat said the university was proud to inaugurate the institute, describing it as a project made possible by Adams' support. "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... We are proud that Sylvan has once again chosen to support Tel Aviv University, and we deeply value his friendship."
Written in collaboration with World Jewish Congress