"MINEPS bridges gaps in terms of communication and coordination"

Interview with Professor Jürgen Mittag
10/05/2013 16:18

Professor Jürgen Mittag on the significance and contents of MINEPS V. Mittag has held the chair for Sport Policy at the German Sport University Cologne since 2011. His research areas include national and international sport policies, sport systems and developments.

 

ICSSPE:  MINEPS V will take place from 28 until 30 May here in Berlin. Which sport-political significance does the conference have both at the national and international levels?

Mittag: Sport is one of the policy fields that are mainly shaped at the national and sub-national levels. Collaborative efforts at the inter- and supranational level have been relatively few, so that MINEPS bridges gaps in terms of communication and coordination through bringing together representatives from various sectors  and offering a platform for exchanging ideas, concepts and different perspectives. However, bearing in mind the context of international conferences on other themes such as the environment or the economy, one has to be aware of the general limits and perspectives these events have concerning delivery and implementation. In comparison, MINEPS focuses on the communicative aspect of bringing key actors together, discussing important topics and raising awareness is the primary aim. Another general aspect of international conferences one has to consider is the role of influential states and their support of the formulated objectives. Accordingly it will be interesting to follow these states’ behavior during MINEPS.

 

ICSSPE: The first theme of the conference concentrates on access to sport as fundamental right for all, specifically relating to persons with disabilities and women and girls. Could you outline the relevance of this topic?

 

Mittag: This is a very central theme building upon general debates on human and civil rights. For a long time focus had been put on individual rights, followed by debates on economic freedom, while the last ten to fifteen years have experienced a shift towards participation and collective engagement, which has also affected the sports sector. Participation of women and girls as well as inclusion and disability sport have received increasingly more attention and been put on the agenda. The sport sector had long neglected these aspects, but has realised that it is necessary to take respective measures. Especially the role of women has received more attention, also because the topic has become an integral part of political and social discourses. In relation to disability and inclusion meanwhile the sport sector could be more pro-active and act as a role-model for other areas in society. MINEPS can play an important role with setting and reinforcing the political framework for such developments.

 

ICSSPE:  The second key theme of the conference deals with promoting investment in sport and physical education as well as the socio-economic dimension of sport including the awarding and hosting of sport mega events and related questions of sustainability. How do you consider the impact MINEPS will have on these issues?

 

Mittag: This is also a very important topic. Developments in the last 20 to 25 years have shown an increased interest in the socio-economic aspects of sport not only due to the visibility in media and television but also because of the financial benefits that can be generated. This has of course also led to aberrations requiring corrections and regulations, which should be debated on during MINEPS. As with mega events recent trends show that the bidding and hosting procedures can be intertwined with questions regarding human rights, labor conditions or other socio-economic condi-tions. MINEPS can help raising awareness and creating a sense for the need of discussing and working on the problems and deficits that may occur in this context. Furthermore the conference can actively contribute to stressing the public benefit sport can generate and how physical activity and education can foster social cohesion and public health. MINEPS has the potential to convey these values and convince states of formulating and delivering respective policies.

 

ICSSPE: Closely attached to the socio-economic aspects sport contains, is the third theme which is concerned with the integrity of sport. How important and complex is this? And in how far do you think does this area require a stronger governmental role or not?

 

Mittag: This is certainly a topic of outstanding significance, especially in relation to doping, corrup-tion and manipulation. Recent scandals have indicated how economic interests can undermine the ethical values of sport. The first question is in how far the sport sector and the federations manage to ensure an adequate degree of self-regulation, and in case they can’t, in how far states could play a more active role. A panacea however is not available given that for instance doping and corruption problems contain a lot of differences. Nonetheless, the possibilities and ways of engaging governments more actively should be discussed during MINEPS. Also, the transnational dimension of the above mentioned problems have to be taken into consideration when discussing regulatory mechanisms. It seems to me rather difficult to undertake concerted actions with several nations without any sufficient supranational frameworks. Again, I think that MINEPS’ strength lies in its communicative and appellative dimension, while the production of internationally binding regulations can hardly be expected from a convention as such. Notwithstanding, the urgent necessity of discussing all the issues and themes is apparent and the role of UNESCO’s member states as potential corrective definitely requires debate and creating possible scenarios. Therefore MINEPS V can lay an important basis for future sport-political developments.

 

ICSSPE: The final question relates to “evidence-based policy”. Which intersections and synergies would you identify and predict between science, politics and the sport sector?

 

Mittag: The scientification process of sport prevails, both with regard to the health and high perfor-mance related topics as well as to the social and economic dimensions. This trend has taken place within the last decades. However, most academic perspectives have been rather Eurocentric. A global perspective is needed here and support has to be provided for academic institutions and collaborative projects through pointing towards the interactions between science and politics. MINEPS will certainly help expanding the view and account for the growing significance of countries in Asia, Africa and South America. The last few years have shown that studies have indeed become more global and international, but this trend is still in its infancy and perhaps MINEPS can add to striking a blow for a more globally oriented sport science.  

 

ICSSPE: Thank you very much.

 

Mittag: You are welcome.           

 

Ed.: B.Weinberg