Sport is part of who we are, from school playgrounds to amateur clubs and elite competition. Yet head injuries remain among the most underestimated risks associated not only with organized sport, but with active lifestyles more broadly. In Switzerland alone, around 10,000 sport-related TBIs are reported each year, with many more likely unreported or misdiagnosed. Even a single head impact – on the field, on an e-bike, or on a scooter, can result in lasting cognitive, emotional, and neurological consequences that extend far beyond the moment of injury.
Born from a collaboration between the NeuroCentre at the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the special support of the cantonal Association Genevoise des Sports (AGS), the TraumaSport GVA project integrates systematic data collection, behavioral analysis of sports practice and risk awareness, and geospatial identification areas of increased vulnerability. Through this structured approach, the initiative aims to identify high-risk sports and territories and to more effectively target prevention strategies in contexts where they are most needed.
Sustained support will enable the expansion of this evidence-based prevention model — strengthening brain health, improving risk awareness, and promoting safer sport across all levels.
Community engagement has already begun through participation in major cantonal sporting events in 2025, including L’Escalade, the Concours Hippique International – Prix Rolex CHI, and the Women’s Football Summer. These initiatives help raise awareness and strengthen dialogue with the sporting community.
Recent updates and field activities:
