Brussels, 26 October 2021
As more than ten years have passed since the Lisbon Treaty mandate to act in the field of sport, the adoption of MEP Frankowski’s report assessing the EU sport policy was very timely and needed. In fact, the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) fully supports the Rapporteur’s ambition and proposals to strengthen the role of the EU institutions in sport policy making. In particular, FESI calls for increased investment in the development of sustainable and safe infrastructures to encourage physical activity for all.
“We are extremely pleased with the adoption of this report for which Mr Frankowski has done an amazing job!”, commented Jérôme Pero, FESI Secretary General. “FESI particularly welcomes the inclusion of a specific mention to develop more sustainable and safe sports infrastructures. Today, there are still thousands of girls that don’t practice sport because they don’t have access to infrastructures in which they can feel safe. More investment is needed to develop new facilities and equip the existing ones, for example by installing lighting on cycle paths or ensuring that gyms are equipped with separate changing rooms“, he added.
As stated by the Rapporteur, sport has a unique power to promote positive change and transmit values across borders. And sport coaches play an important role in inspiring kids and educating them to the benefits of sport. Knowing that many girls drop out of sport in their teens, the role of coaches can play an even more crucial role in preventing this. However, coaches often lack the formal training that make makes kids’ involvement beneficial. FESI therefore calls on the European Commission and Member States to develop common standards at the European level to ensure that all coaches have the appropriate skills and training to coach children and young people.
FESI now looks forward to the reaction of the European Commission and the Member States to this report and hopes that the Rapporteur’s recommendations will be seriously taken into consideration. The ball is in our court now, let us all step up to the plate!
Contact: Ariane Gatti, FESI Communication Officer / [email protected] / +32 274 08 94
