2022 PINES IOC sports nutrition scholarship winners

With the generous support of Sportsoracle, PINES is able to offer a few scholarships for members studying in the 2021 IOC Diploma in Sport Nutrition. PINES traditionally offers two two-year scholarships. This year, because two of the award winners students are already enrolled in the IOC program and have already completed one year, PINES is able to split the scholarship between two students with only one year left in the program, as well as one two-year student.

We are pleased to announce the three PINES members who were successful in their application for the Scholarship. Congratulations Apurva, Jean and Teele.

Apurva Surve – India

I am a former national level athlete in the ancient Indian sport of Mallakhamb. Because of my passion for sports, I majored in nutrition in college. There were no specialised courses in sports nutrition when I was studying nutrition in my country. I only had one semester of Sports Nutrition in my final year of college. I could relate to the subject since I understood how hard I trained and how tough it was to sustain the sports training sessions while still performing at my best. I and my fellow teammates struggled with what to eat and when to eat it, and we occasionally competed on an empty stomach, as do the majority of athletes in our nation today.

In my spare time after finishing my Master’s degree in Nutrition and working full-time, I began counselling athletes on nutrition. In India, there were and still are many misunderstandings regarding sports nutrition. The athletes, coaches, and parents are now dealing with two significant issues: a lack of awareness and a lack of access to appropriate nutrition information.

The International Olympic Committee’s Diploma in Sports Nutrition provides an in-depth understanding of sports nutrition. Few previous IOC students from India suggested this course since it covers advanced and specific sports nutrition topics, which pushes us to provide athletes with the best evidence-based nutrition approach possible. Since I’ve already finished one year of this school, I’ve realised that it also focuses on critically analysing research and applying the findings to athletes whenever possible. In addition, I got the opportunity to engage with some of the world’s eminent sports nutritionists and researchers during this course. Their practical experiences in the field of sports nutrition provided me with additional knowledge that I can apply and modify for athletes in my country. Since this is an online course, it also opened up an opportunity to connect with other participating nutritionists all around the world.

By taking this course, I would not only obtain an in-depth understanding of sports nutrition, but I would also understand how to use the material in my home country. There are few qualified sports nutritionists in our country, even though the athlete population is rapidly growing. This Diploma would supplement the Nutrition degrees I already hold. This course will also help me identify the gaps in our country’s sports nutrition research. I usually work with athletes at the grassroots level and it is a challenge to formulate a nutrition strategy for such athletes. This course will assist me in developing dietary strategies that can be used to meet the nutritional needs of such athletes. And, with the proper knowledge of sports nutrition, I am confident that I will be able to deliver and raise awareness of the subject among athletes, coaches, and parents.

BIO: I am Apurva Surve and I graduated from S.N.D.T. Women’s University in India with a major in Food Science and Nutrition. I am also a former national level athlete and an International Judge in the ancient Indian sport of Mallakhamb. Because of my passion for sports & aptitude for science, I decided to pursue my career in sports nutrition. In my spare time after finishing my Master’s degree in Nutrition and working full-time, I began counselling athletes, coaches & parents on nutrition. The IOC Diploma course in Sports Nutrition will aid me in identifying gaps in our country’s sports nutrition research & in developing evidence-based and practical dietary strategies for the athletes in my country.

Jean Paul Perret – Italy

Completing the Diploma would allow me to increase my knowledge and lay a solid scientific foundation for my practice. In Italy, few dieticians have followed a specific study career in the field of sports nutrition and, often, athletes have to turn to inadequately trained professionals. The same happens within national federations. Despite this shortage of professionals, in my country there are no specific university courses or diplomas recognized by the international scientific community. My strong belief is that a sports dietitian should build his career on his ability to read, understand and communicate scientific evidence. That’s why I decided to apply for the IOC Diploma. His program, strictly based on teaching how to research and analyze current and past literature, is, in my opinion, the best way to train classes of professionals capable professionals, eager to always be up to date.

My dream, since university, is to become a reference point for sports nutrition in my area and in my country, in order to guarantee athletes the correct information and the right support to achieve their goals. Obtaining high-quality degree in sports nutrition, such as that of the IOC, is one of the first steps I have decided to take to get closer to this achievement. The 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Cortina (Italy), are a great opportunity for me. I would be really grateful to have the opportunity to be present, perhaps in support of the catering organization, individual athletes or teams. I think the Olympics would be a great opportunity to spread the Mediterranean diet and proper nutrition among competitive sportsmen from all over the world and, consequently, among amateurs.

BIO: I’m Jean Paul Perret, born in Aosta on November 9, 1995. I started competing in middle distance running at 13 and since high school I dreamed of becoming a health professional in sports. The initial idea was to study sports medicine or physiotherapy, but I soon discovered my passion for sports nutrition. So I started my bachelor’s degree in Dietetics (University of Turin) and then my Master’s in Human Nutrition (University of Florence). However, it was clear to me that these were just the foundations on which I wanted to build my career and that I needed more in-depth knowledge. It’s for this reason that, at the same time as the beginning of my freelance activity in Aosta (Italy), I enrolled in the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition. My dream is to become a skilled sports dietitian who can help professional and amateur athletes achieve their health and goals.

Teele Tiidt – Estonia

I believe that diet is one of the key components in delivering a successful performance and I have always believed it should be taken as an integral part of athlete’s training programme. Top results are achieved by well-planned, science-based strategies developed and carried out in close collaboration with coaches, physiotherapists, doctors, nutritionists, and the service staff. I would also like to argue that the aforementioned perks are, unfortunately, most often present only in developed countries.

Estonia is a small country with a population of 1.3 million and the promising talent is required to train religiously with limited resources in order to have a chance of succeeding on an international level. In 2019, EOC established a project called Team Estonia, which aims to advance elite sports in the country by providing high quality support services for athletes. Unfortunately, nutrition strategies were overlooked as Team Estonia solely aids athletes with exercise tests, blood analysis, echocardiogram and physiotherapy. This is due to the lack of financial resources and the shortage of qualified sports nutritionists. There are no nutrition or dietetics undergraduate or postgraduate programs in Estonia, which explains the lack of specialists in the field. In addition, coaches in Estonia have little or dated knowledge of sports nutrition as many have received their qualifications during the Soviet era. Even today, the training programmes for coaches cover only a small fraction of nutrition in the curriculum.

Bettering the Estonian sports system through awareness on insufficient nutritional knowledge and support amongst the sports community is something I feel incredibly passionate about and I’m determined to initiate change. As a former athlete, I have experienced the lack of resources first-hand and am now determined to become a certified nutritionist to provide the support and knowledge I was lacking as a young athlete.

I currently work as a nutritionist and provide sports nutrition education through consultations, talks and presentations, however these are only accessible to athletes with the financial means to afford these services. I hope to start working in the public sector to make sure my knowledge can be shared with the wider audience of Estonian sports community. Especially, as I believe a professional athlete and their coach should aim to use both nutrition and appropriate dietary practices to ensure optimal performance, and minimise the risk of injuries and illnesses. Also, there is no single diet that is suitable for all athletes, especially as individuals have different preferences, physiological limitations, and health status that affect dietary choices, which is why it is paramount that nutrition strategies are shared with all members of the sports community.

Completing the IOC Diploma in Sports Nutrition will provide me with an in-depth knowledge, which allows me to educate and assist Estonian athletes with optimal nutrition strategies that are tailored to the individual, in order to improve performance and health. I believe that implementation of nutrition education in Estonia is incredibly important and would strongly contribute to bettering Estonian sports system and help many talented athletes to reach their full potential.

BIO: I am a Global Nutrition and Health graduate and currently working as a nutritionist. I have always been active, athletic, and extremely passionate about sports, health, well-being, and nutrition. Being involved with cross-country skiing on a professional level for more than five years is where I formed an extensive interest in nutrition and passion for the health of athletes, but also for public health.

My experiences as a former athlete, nutrition intern, and nutritionist indicate the relevance and the need for sports nutrition education. Unfortunately, in Estonia, this is accessible only to the athletes with the financial means to buy nutrition services. As appropriate nutrition strategies and dietary practices help to ensure an optimal performance, but also minimise the risk of injuries and illnesses, it is paramount that nutritional knowledge and practices are shared with all members of the sports community. My goal is to increase nutritional awareness and share my obtained knowledge with the wider audience of Estonian sports community.