On 21–22 January, the STRONG project was officially launched during a kick-off meeting hosted at the EOC EU Office in Brussels, marking the start of a new European cooperation dedicated to supporting, protecting and promoting athletes’ rights and responsibilities within the Olympic Movement.

Funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, STRONG (Supporting the Implementation of Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities in National Olympic Committees) brings together a strong and diverse consortium composed of 15 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the EOC EU Office as project coordinator, and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany) as academic partner. Over the course of the project, partners will work collaboratively to strengthen athlete-centred governance across National Olympic Committees in Europe.

Launching a shared European initiative

The kick-off meeting in Brussels marked the first in-person gathering of the STRONG consortium and provided an opportunity to align partners around the project’s objectives, structure and expected outcomes.

STRONG aims to enhance good governance in sport by supporting NOCs and athletes in the implementation of the IOC Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, with particular attention to:

• non-discrimination,

• freedom of expression,

• athlete opportunities and agreements,

• and athlete representation and participation in decision-making.

Through a combination of research, structured dialogue and capacity-building activities, the project seeks to translate international standards and principles into concrete organisational practices at national level.

A strong consortium at the heart of the project

Participants at the launch included representatives from all partner organisations, reflecting the project’s pan-European reach and diversity of experience. The STRONG consortium brings together National Olympic Committees from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Kosovo, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland, ensuring a wide range of national perspectives and governance contexts.

Academic experts from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz officially kickstarted the project’s research phase by conducting intake interviews, which will feed into the Status Quo and Stakeholder Perceptions Report. The IOC Athletes’ Department provided the shared theoretical foundation by introducing the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration and bringing all participants onto a common footing regarding the project’s key focus rights. In addition, Johanna Talihärm, Chair of the EOC Athletes’ Commission, contributed the athlete perspective and shared expectations on the impact the project can achieve for athletes across Europe.

This complementary partnership allows STRONG to combine policy insight, academic evidence and practical governance experience, ensuring that project outcomes are both relevant and applicable across different national sporting systems.

Setting the direction for project outputs

During the kick-off meeting, partners were also introduced to the core outputs that STRONG will develop over the coming months, including:

• a Status Quo and Stakeholder Perceptions Report,

• a European Framework for Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities,

• a National Mentoring Programme,

• educational tools and training materials for NOCs and athletes,

• and organisational strategies to support sustainable, athlete-centred governance, enriched by the project’s Pool of Actions.

All outputs will be co-created through close cooperation among partners and grounded in the lived realities of athletes and sport organisations across Europe.

Looking ahead

The launch of STRONG in Brussels laid a solid foundation for the project’s implementation, establishing a shared understanding, a collaborative working culture and a clear roadmap for action.

As the project moves forward, the STRONG consortium will continue to engage in structured dialogue, exchange practices and co-create solutions that contribute to a more inclusive, transparent and athlete-centred sporting ecosystem in Europe.

Follow the STRONG project on this webpage and on social media to stay informed about upcoming activities, exchanges and results.

About STRONG

STRONG is a European cooperation project that aims to strengthen good governance in National Olympic Committees by supporting the implementation, protection and promotion of athletes’ rights and responsibilities, as defined in the IOC Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration. Through research, capacity-building and practical governance tools, STRONG supports NOCs and athletes in translating international standards into concrete organisational practice across Europe.
The project is supported by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.