European Commission - Press release
Kick it out: EU targets violence and intolerance in sport
Brussels, 8 November 2011 The European Commission has awarded grants to support initiatives aimed at tackling violence and intolerance in sport, and to strengthen the way sport is run in Europe. Twelve trans-national projects have received grants ranging from €125 000 to €200 000 (details below) as part of a package of 'preparatory actions' intended to pave the way for the launch of an EU sub-programme for sport, which would also support grassroots campaigns to promote physical activity, social inclusion through sport, and the fight against doping.
Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, said: "Supporting sport at the grassroots' level is one of my priorities. Without EU funding many valuable sporting initiatives would not get off the ground. I am very happy that these 12 projects are receiving EU funding and wish them a lot of success."
Background: The projects funded under the 2011 'Preparatory Actions'
The EU support covers two themes:
a) Prevention of and fight against violence and intolerance in sport: Projects selected in this area support innovative trans-national networks focused on the prevention of and fight against violence and discrimination. The funding supports the exchange of good practices between the sport sector, educational institutions, supporters' organisations, non-governmental organisations and national and local authorities with the aim of promoting respect for fundamental European values in sport.
The funded projects are:
Title | ELYS - Educational LABs for European Young Supporters |
Objectives | Educating young people to tackle violence in sport |
Lead organisation | Regional Committee CONI, Lombardy |
Countries involved | EL, ES, IE, IT, NL, NO, PT, RO, UK |
Grant | €200,000 |
Title | Prevention of sexualized violence in sport |
Objectives | Creating a network of experts and organisations to prevent sexualized violence in sport |
Lead organisation | Deutsche Sportjugend im Deutschen Olympischen Sportbund e.V. |
Countries involved | DE, GR, NO, UK, CZ, ES, CY, DK, BE, SI |
Grant | €200,000 |
Title | Preventing and fighting homophobic violence and intolerance in sport - Pride in Sport |
Objectives | Developing a network to fight homophobia in sport |
Lead organisation | European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation |
Countries involved | DE, FR, HU, SL, UK, European-wide organisation |
Grant1 | €160,000 |
Title | Pro Supporters - Prevention through empowerment |
Objectives | Developing measures to tackle football-related violence and racism through preventive fan-based schemes across Europe |
Lead organisation | Fonds Wiener Institut für internationalen Dialog und Zusammenarbeit |
Countries involved | AT, CZ, IE, UK, DE, NL, European-wide organisations |
Grant1 | €200,000 |
b) Promoting innovative approaches to strengthen the organisation of sport in Europe: Good governance is a precondition for the autonomy and self-regulation of sport organisations. The funding supports trans-national networks aimed at developing a European dimension in sport. These networks also seek to strengthen the administrative capacity of sport organisations and to increase the competitive level of sport in Europe.
The funded projects are:
Title | Sport 4 Good Governance (S4G) |
Objectives | Support and guidance for good governance in sport organisations |
Lead organisation | EU Office of the European Olympic Committees |
Countries involved | BE, CR, CY, DE, DK, EE, HR, IT, NL, SI, CH, European wide organisation |
Grant1 | €200,000 |
Title | Good governance in grassroots' sports |
Objectives | Increasing organisational capacity |
Lead organisation | International Sport and Culture Association |
Countries involved | CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FR, IT, IE, RO, UK, European-wide organisation |
Grant | €200,000 |
Title | The further development of a coordinated network for sport coaching in Europe (CoachNet) |
Objectives | Establishing a coordination system for the improvement of sport coaching |
Lead organisation | Leeds Metropolitan University |
Countries involved | DE, ES, FI, FR, HU, IE, NL, PT |
Grant1 | €200,000 |
Title | European Rugby League Governance Foundation Project |
Objectives | Developing a European dimension in Rugby League |
Lead organisation | Rugby League European Federation |
Countries involved | CZ, DE, FR, IE, IT, LV, NL, SE, UK |
Grant1 | €100,000 |
Title | Improving football governance through supporter involvement and community ownership |
Objectives | Strengthening club ownership by supporters |
Lead organisation | Supporters Direct |
Countries involved | BE, DE, ES, FR, IT, PT, SE, UK |
Grant1 | €200,000 |
Title | Better Boards, Stronger Sport |
Objectives | Promoting effective management boards in sport organisations |
Lead organisation | Sport and Recreation Alliance |
Countries involved | EE, FI, HU,IE, PL and transnational sport networks |
Grant1 | €125,000 |
Title | Action for Good Governance in International Sports organisations |
Objectives | Identify guidelines and possible solutions to improve the governance of international and European sport organisations |
Lead organisation | Danish Institute for Sports Studies / Play the Game |
Countries involved | BE, CH, DE, DK, NL, SI, UK |
Grant1 | €200,000 |
Title | European ABC (Academy for Billiard Champions) on the way to Sport Excellence |
Objectives | Improving the organszational and institutional capacity of billiard organisations |
Lead organisation | Bulgarian Billiard Federation |
Countries involved | BG, CZ, PL, RO, SI |
Grant1 | €130,000 |
1 Rounded amounts
The EU's role in sport
The EU's role is to support, supplement and coordinate actions by the Member States and to develop a European dimension in sport. According to Article 165 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the EU shall "contribute to the promotion of European sporting issues, while taking account of the specific nature of sport, its structures based on voluntary activity and its social and educational function… [the EU's action] shall be aimed at developing the European dimension in sport, by promoting fairness and openness in sporting competitions and cooperation between bodies responsible for sports, and by protecting the physical and moral integrity of sportsmen and sportswomen, especially the youngest sportsmen and sportswomen".
The proposed EU sport sub-programme will be part a broader programme supporting education, training, and youth ('Erasmus for All'), which is due to be adopted by the Commission later this month. The Commission has proposed €15.2 billion in funding for the Erasmus for All programme between 2014 and 2020 (see IP/11/857).
For more information:
Androulla Vassiliou's website
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/vassiliou/index_en.htm
Sport website
http://ec.europa.eu/sport/index_en.htm
Contacts : Dennis Abbott (+32 2 295 92 58) Dina Avraam (+32 2 295 96 67) |
