ICSSPE participates in EU Sport Forum 2025: Advocating for a Modern, Inclusive European Sport Model

On April 10 - 11, ICSSPE took part in the EU Sport Forum 2025, held in Kraków, Poland, bringing together leading stakeholders from across the European sport sector to discuss the future of sport policy and development.

A central theme of this year’s forum was the evolution of the European Sport Model. Discussions emphasized the need to strengthen the connection between elite and grassroots sport, enhance support for volunteers, and integrate sport more deeply into education and wider societal structures. While the existing model has long served as a foundational framework, participants acknowledged that it must now be revisited and adapted to reflect contemporary challenges, including structural changes, increased professionalization, and pressing social issues.

ICSSPE supports the call for a renewed model that upholds core values such as solidarity and inclusivity, while fostering transparency, equity, and long-term sustainability in sport systems.

The forum began with a powerful keynote address by European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, who underscored sport’s unique role as a vehicle for diplomacy, unity, and intercultural understanding. His message strongly resonated with ICSSPE’s mission to promote sport as a tool for peace, health, and development.

ICSSPE also participated in a key discussion on the inclusion of sport in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). In light of ongoing political, social, and economic challenges, sport’s capacity to promote youth engagement, public health, social cohesion, and international dialogue was highlighted as essential and deserving of continued investment.

Additional topics featured prominently at the forum included artificial intelligence in sport, the integration of sport into educational settings, athlete welfare, and anti-discrimination efforts, all areas closely aligned with ICSSPE’s commitment to ethical, inclusive, and research-based advancement in sport and physical education.

As the forum concluded, ICSSPE returns from Kraków reinvigorated to continue its work in policy advocacy, interdisciplinary research, and educational programming. We remain committed to shaping a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-thinking global sport ecosystem.