Building a culture of prevention in sport – The example of the healthy active project

Sports injuries represent a significant concern for both the health and performance of athletes, despite the fact that a substantial proportion of these injuries could, in principle, be prevented. Although the effectiveness of evidence-based prevention programmes is now well documented, their routine implementation in everyday sports practice remains limited. This gap is largely explained by the specific contextual constraints of the sporting environment, as well as by the frequent prioritisation of short-term performance objectives.The aim of this paper is to critically reflect on the discrepancy between scientific evidence and its practical application in sport, using the Healthy Active project as a case example. Adopting a qualitative and context-sensitive approach, the project seeks to better understand the perceptions and attitudes of key stakeholders in sport regarding injury prevention and to translate these insights into actionable strategies.The paper highlights how targeted communication strategies, the involvement of athletes as role models, and a bottom-up implementation approach can support the gradual integration of preventive behaviours into daily sporting practice. With particular attention to adaptation to the local context and to the relationship between prevention and sustainable performance development, this contribution emphasises the need for integrated and practice-oriented strategies to strengthen the effectiveness of injury prevention efforts in sport.