Decision support for sports selection based on performance measurement applying the generalized Thurstone method

In this article, a new complex method is presented that supports decision-making in sports selection. The method consists of two different parts. The first one is the creation of the framework, that is the assessment of the opinions of trainers about the significance of some attributes in special sports. As a result, weights are constructed based on a generalized 7-option Thurstone method. The second part of the process involves assessing athletes’ performance from various perspectives. Finally, the calculated weights are combined with the performance of the athletes. The scores we obtain quantifiably indicate which sport is most likely to be recommended for a given individual. Moreover, the method developed allows us to quantifiably measure the strength of individual athletes and compare them across age groups equally. A computer program has been developed that implements the evaluation process in addition to this the evaluation results are also presented in this article. By extending this method, it can not only be used for sports selection but also for making various complex decisions where there are numerous possible outcomes to choose from. As a result of this research, we present a generalized set of criteria for the evaluation and describe the results obtained with the method. We explain the relationship between coaching decisions and the recommendations of the method and provide a method for determining the direction of future development for individual athletes.