EOC EU Office invited to the Informal Meeting of EU Sport Directors

EOC EU Office invited to the Informal Meeting of EU Sport Directors

The Austrian EU Presidency is coming to its end soon, but before handing it over to Romania, the Austrians organised the informal meeting of the EU Sport Directors in Vienna on 11-12 December. One part of the discussions was dedicated to sport and physical activity for people with disabilities, and served as a first exchange and introduction to this topic, which will be on the agenda of the upcoming Romanian EU Presidency. A few representatives of sport movement were also invited to contribute to this session, among them the EOC EU Office.

The speakers were asked to address two issues: measures to increase the participation rate of people with disabilities in sport and physical activity, as well as qualifications for coaches who work with disabled athletes. In her contribution, EOC EU Office’s Deputy Director Heidi Pekkola highlighted the need for full recognition of sport and physical activity for people with disabilities, as the situations and possibilities even within the EU countries are very different. In addition, she raised e.g. the need for facilities, and what sport offers  people with disabilities, as well as the importance of accessibility also outside the sport activity, e.g. to transportation or locker and changing rooms. Furthermore, Ms Pekkola mentioned the need for expertise, education, and further awareness-raising. She also highlighted the importance to include people with disabilities to all discussions and to make the EU meetings related to sport accessible to all.

Other speakers of the session were Ratko Kovačić, President of the European Paralympic Committee, Kaisa Larjomaa, Policy Director of ENGSO, Johann Knoll, Sports Coordinator from the Austrian Sports Federation for Disabled and Croatian Para Snowboarder Bruno Bošnjak. Johan Knoll made an interesting presentation on the national education system in Austria for coaches who work with disabled athletes, whereas Bruno Bošnjak shared his personal story highlighting the importance of sport for supporting his recovery from an accident, which caused him the disability.

After the speakers, several Sport Directors from the EU Members States took the floor highlighting the importance of this topic and updating their colleagues on the situation in their respective countries. The discussion will continue during the Romanian EU Presidency, as they prioritise sport for people with fewer opportunities, and they are planning to organise a Presidency Conference on this topic in March 2019.

Furthermore, the Sport Directors’ agenda included also e.g. a discussion on the European Sport Model, but unfortunately without the presence of the sport movement. In addition, the meeting was preceded by Presidency Seminar on Sport and Physical Activity at the Workplace, which was organised on 10 December.

Further information

Seminar on Sport and Physical Activity at the Workplace

Recent Posts

Positioning the European Olympic Movement in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034

On 24 April, the EOC EU Office held an online exchange with partner organisations and representatives of the EU 27 NOCs on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, discussing key priorities for organised sport to be recognised by EU institutions during the preparation of the forthcoming MFF. Ensuring prompt discussion and advocacy remains essential for the […]

Read More
OCEAN Final Conference: The start of a movement for climate action in sport

The EOC EU Office is delighted to invite you to the OCEAN Project Final Conference: Reducing sport organisations' carbon footprint: Understanding our impact and acting for change, taking place on 13 May in a hybrid format in Brussels and online. After 2.5 years of trainings, discussions and concrete initiatives, Climate Action Officers from 18 National […]

Read More
Monthly Report Highlight - European Sport Model: European Parliament gathers sport stakeholders to discuss the model’s future

On 18 March 2025, the European Olympic Committees (EOC) EU Office participated in a high-level stakeholders’ dialogue hosted by the European Parliament to discuss its upcoming own-initiative report on the “Role of EU Policies in Shaping the European Sport Model (ESM)”. The event, moderated by the rapporteur, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Bogdan Zdrojewski […]

Read More

Related Posts

April 25, 2025
Positioning the European Olympic Movement in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034

On 24 April, the EOC EU Office held an online exchange with partner organisations and representatives of the EU 27 NOCs on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034, discussing key priorities for organised sport to be recognised by EU institutions during the preparation of the forthcoming MFF. Ensuring prompt discussion and advocacy remains essential for the […]

April 18, 2025
OCEAN Final Conference: The start of a movement for climate action in sport

The EOC EU Office is delighted to invite you to the OCEAN Project Final Conference: Reducing sport organisations' carbon footprint: Understanding our impact and acting for change, taking place on 13 May in a hybrid format in Brussels and online. After 2.5 years of trainings, discussions and concrete initiatives, Climate Action Officers from 18 National […]

April 16, 2025
Monthly Report Highlight - European Sport Model: European Parliament gathers sport stakeholders to discuss the model’s future

On 18 March 2025, the European Olympic Committees (EOC) EU Office participated in a high-level stakeholders’ dialogue hosted by the European Parliament to discuss its upcoming own-initiative report on the “Role of EU Policies in Shaping the European Sport Model (ESM)”. The event, moderated by the rapporteur, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Bogdan Zdrojewski […]

About us

The EOC EU Office is the House of European Sport, representing the European Olympic Committees (EOC), the IOC and other major sport organisations to the European institutions in Brussels.
CONTACT
crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram