Maxime Thivolle

Labosport is the largest company in the world dedicated to providing testing, certification, consultancy and education services to the sport industry. Through our relentless pursuit of excellence and our commitment to pushing the boundaries, Labosport proudly assumes the role of an industry leader with 150 employees. At Labosport, we provide a wide spectrum of services to support the lifecycle of sport surfaces. We engage in extensive product research and development with manufacturers; we work with facility owners to deliver feasibility studies, design, planning and project management; we evaluate the quality of construction and we provide certification upon completion; we monitor the ongoing performance of the surface and provide advice for renovation; at the end of life, we provide advice for safe disposal. Labosport holds the esteemed position of being a FIFA Research Institute, working closely with FIFA since the establishment of the Quality Programme for Football Turf in 2001. Recently, we have worked with FIFA on the development of the Natural Playing Surfaces (NPS) Quality Programme where we provided our technical expertise on test methods, and normative ranges for natural and hybrid. Beyond playing surfaces, Labosport actively participates in other FIFA Quality Programmes, including Goal-line Technology, Futsal Surfaces, and the Quality Programme for Football Goals. As a FIFA Research Institute, Labosport's central focus the delivery of research projects aimed at deepening the understanding of playing surfaces, both natural and synthetic, and translating this expertise into innovative test methods and standards.