The first EMCA general assembly and conference for this year was successfully held in Brussels on 31 January 2023. The occasion also marked the 10-year anniversary since EMCA was formed.
The Executive Committee provided feedback on the work done in the last year for the association and developments made.
The European Commission and European Education and Culture Executive Agency hosted the first in-person Erasmus+ Sport Info Day on January 30, 2023, since the Covid-19 pandemic.
EMCA’s participants were informed about the and funding opportunities of the Erasmus+ program and were given the opportunity to network and initiate contacts with potential project partners.
The final conference of the Radical (Ex) Change project, under the theme “Mitigating Radicalisation through Sport”, took place on 8 December 2022, in Athens, Greece, organised by the International Olympic Truce Centre. The conference was organized within the framework of ‘Network for the exchange of good practices on the integration of youngsters at risk of radicalisation through sport’ (Radical (Ex)Change) project.
Radical (Ex) Change is a two-year Preparatory Action funded by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture – Unit C4 (Sport), which aims at developing a collaborative network amongst the organisations working on Sport for Development and Peace and those engaged in the prevention of marginalisation and radicalisation (through sport or not).
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative aimed at tackling the concerning dropout rate among teenagers in sports. The project, titled “STAY! DECREASING TEENAGE DROPOUT IN SPORT,” launched in December 2022, is designed to address and minimize the dropout rate of teenagers aged 13-20 from sports clubs, encouraging their continued engagement in sports and physical activities.
Modern society presents significant challenges for teenagers, with obligations in school, society, and personal lives leading to a staggering 70% dropout rate in sports within this age group. In line with the EU Physical Activity Act’s directive to increase participation in sports and physical activities, this project aims to reduce teenage dropout from a different angle. By retaining teenage athletes, we aim to see a rise in sports participation overall.
The project began on December 1, 2022, and will continue until the end of May 2025, with several partners working together:
This collaborative effort will focus on equipping clubs and coaches with the necessary tools to curb the dropout rate, fostering an environment conducive to teenage athletes remaining engaged in sports.
For the first time, an international women’s W8+ Junior rowing race (regatta) was held in Rome at the Circolo Canottieri Lazio, in June 2022.
The young athletes that participated were from 3 EMCA clubs: Lazio, Olympiakos and Hask Mladost.
EMCA, represented by Bojan Mijatovic, was present at the EU Sport Forum in Lille, France. This year’s theme was ‘European Sport: fair, inclusive and fit for a sustainable future’, values which EMCA seeks to promote within its activities.
The EU Sport Forum is an annual event organized by the European Commission in support of the continuous dialogue with the European and international sport community. It is a central meeting point between sport organizations, representatives of the EU Institutions and Member States exchanging views on the current and future sport policies.
It has been a very challenging period and, at the end of it, we can count on more than 20 collaborative partnership presented by our network, plus two more Projects not directly drafted by EMCA, but with our Association as partner.
A visit to the nearby, where the upper floor holds a special exhibition of the history of Slovenian sports with a show of their Olympic achievements. The afternoon was in the light of launching the new 2-year campaign #HealthyLifestyle4All – merging the sport sector for the WHO, other health organisations and various nutrition entities. Pledges where made by the present participants and by video calls from sport dignitaries such as Thomas BACH and Gianni INFANTINO. Spyros CAPRALOS (EOC) made the pledge in person, as well as Witold BANKA (WADA President). An emotional presentation was made by the EC Ambassador Jorge PINA.
The first project, European Day of Care (EDoC), co-funded by the European Commission, seeks to support all ex-athletes in their post-sport career to be reintegrated into society by inviting them to take part in a three-day course at the European University of Rome followed by a three-month internship within the Lazio multisport club. Prof. Claudia Navrini, PHD, accompanied Gabriella to explain the modules that have been studied for this three-day course ranging from soft skills to law and economics. (Click here to see the EDoC agenda).
The course will constitute 2 university credits validated and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and supported by the Italian Government. 30 Presidents of the different Lazio sections were present in order to pass the message onto their athletes. This project sees its lead coordinator as Lazio Basket and partners Ferencvarosi Torna Club, Tampereen Pyrintö, HASK Mladost and Sporting Foundation Lisbon. Every week, rotating, each of these multisport clubs posts a story about one of their ex-athletes that has been able to excel at a post sport career and is being followed extensively. (Click here to read the stories).
The second project Multisport Academy, a mobility project co-funded by the European Parliament, aims at the exchange of knowledge and experiences between the partner countries (Italy, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece).
The first trip will take place in Italy from the 23rd – 27th September where the athletes will visit the Italian Federation for Blind (FISPIC), the Italian Paralympic Swimming Federation (FINP and CIP), the Italian Olympic Centre of Sports Medicine (CONI Medicina dello Sport), the University of Physical Education of Rome (IUSM) and the Paralympic sports center in Ostia (Centro Preparazione Paralimpico Ostia).
The participants will be present at the finals of the European football championships for Blind on the 24th of September. (click here to visit our calendar).
We would like to thank the European Union, Commission and Parliament for the confidence and support in our projects, without whom, none of this would be possible. We would also like to thank all the EMCA sport clubs involved for their hard work in carrying out the projects and all our stakeholders mentioned above for their support in helping us achieve our project goals. A final thank you to Mr. Giuseppe Palma for organising such a wonderful event.
The European Multisport Club Association will play an important role in the Awards, since entries are to be submitted from 1st July to 2nd August to the European Commission by National Coordinating Bodies and by Partners of the European Week of Sport.
The Awards have been created to support projects and individuals dedicated to the promotion of sport and physical activity across Europe. The awards have three categories:
This award is intended to throw the spotlight on an educational setting that can demonstrate concrete ways in which it encouraged its kids to #BeActive in addition to the sport/physical activity classes in the standard curriculum. This could include extra sport activities, physically active class days out, after school activities, and other creative solutions to form an active education environment.
This award is intended to accolade a workplace that can demonstrate specific ways in which it has encouraged and helped its employees to #BeActive. This could include setting up a staff taskforce responsible for promoting physical activity, provision of showers for cycling/running commuters, standing meetings, lunchtime walks and other creative solutions to form an active working environment.
This award honours an individual achievement to motivate others and act as a catalyst to #BeActive. The spirit of the award aims to recognising an individual who has worked consistently to promote participation in sport and/or physical activity in his or her local community.
Focusing on educational establishments and workplaces, as well as individuals in local communities, the awards competition contributes to the local and human dimension of the Week, while showcasing best-practice projects, and introducing inspiring individuals, to a Pan-European audience.