Efforts to strenghten Sport Policy continue, as the MEP presents his Report “Integrated approach to Sport Policy: Good Governance, accessibility and integrity”.
Today, FESI organised a gathering at the House of Sport in the presence of Mr. Hannu Takkula. The MEP has recently been appointed Rapporteur of the European Parliament’s Own Initiative Report on the “Integrated approach to Sport Policy: Good Governance, accessibility, integrity”. During the assembly he presented the key elements of the report and was introduced to some of the partners of the House of Sport, who exchanged their views with the Rapporteur.
The European Parliament’s report is triggered by several components: first and foremost the World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies that the lack of physical activity is the fourth leading risk factor, for global mortality. It is therefore imperative to promote physical activity and grassroots sports. Furthermore, according to recent statistics – sport is a growing economic sector with sport-related employment being estimated at 7.38 million people and the share of sport –related gross value added at €294 billion (3 % of total EU gross value added). Additionally, recent scandals including doping, corruption and hooliganism at sport events prove that sport is in desperate need of integrity and good governance. Moreover, in the wake of global refugee crisis and migration challenges there is a growing need to promote equal accessibility to sport activities and to facilitate social integration of migrants through sport.
Altogether, it becomes evident that the time has come to significantly strengthen sports policy. In that respect, the Report is very timely as it will feed into the European Commission evaluation of sports policy in 2017. The Report itself will be available for the public in October on the webpage of the CULT Committee.
FESI Secretary General, Alberto Bichi fully endorses the European Parliament‘s initiative and calls for it to be as ambitious as possible: “The report demonstrates that sport deserves greater political attention as an active contributor to economic growth and social cohesion, to say the least. FESI and the House of Sport are therefore applauding the EU’s efforts to strengthen sports policy and will remain closely involved by providing the required support and input”.
