Cottbus is an Olympic Training Centre for gymnastics, athletics and cycling. The city has bred sportsmen and -women of international acclaim, for instance, gymnast Philipp Boy and the cyclists Jana Majunke, Roger Kluge and Maximilian Levy.

Without doubt, the competitive sports highlight is the annual international Springer-Meeting (jumping event) which takes place at the Sports Centre. The Sports Centre is one of the biggest and most up-to-date sports facilities in the South Brandenburg region. It offers excellent conditions for providing for children's and youth sports, for ensuring the grooming of young and top-class talent and provides a first-class venue for leisure and disability sports. The complex includes the athletics stadium, the cycling stadium, the gymnasium, the boxing arena as well as rooms for body building, weight lifting and relaxation, a sauna and many other features.

Good learning and training conditions continue to be a vital requirement for best results in top-level sports. The Lausitzer Sportschule Cottbus provides tuition for pupils from 7th to 13th grade. Since 2002, they study in the modernised, two-section school building, which was extended to add new class rooms.

For active leisure sport, those interested have the choice of:

• 49 sports grounds / stadiums
• 50 gymnasia / sports halls
• 20 tennis courts
• 1 equestrian centre
• 70 nine-pin bowling and bowling alleys
• 5 shooting ranges
• 1 sports and leisure swimming pool
• 4 lakes for swimming
• 1 boathouse

All these venues are used also by the 122 Cottbus sports clubs.