Oct 12, 2017
The Conference for Gender Equality Index 2017, the document prepared by EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality) and outlining the gender gaps in different areas has taken place in Brussels on the 11th of October 2017.
The Index included for the first time data on decision making in sport and our Policy Officer Paulina Tomczyk participated in the event to comment on the results. Across Member States, the representation of women among the top decision-making positions in sports organisations remains very low. On average in 2015, only 14% of all positions were occupied by women, ranging from 3% in Poland to 43% in Sweden.
During the discussion panel on decision making in sport, research and media, Paulina pointed out that gender equality in sport is not possible without the equal and fair treatment of elite women athletes, especially when it comes to their status, working conditions and the labour rights, including pregnancy and maternity protection. What is more, EU Athletes believes that the EU and the Member States need to be more proactive in supporting the gender equality in sport to make sure that the sport governing bodies introduces real changes in their governance.
EU Athletes considers gender equality as one of its priorities, which is also supported by our work within the Erasmus+ “Supporting Women Athletes from Europe” (SWAFE) project. We are happy to say that thanks to a real commitment to improve gender balance, we currently have three women represented on our Executive Board (38%).
More information about the Gender Equality Index 2017 and the Conference is available here.
Oct 3, 2017
The General Assembly of EU Athletes has taken place last week in Barcelona. It was an opportunity to give an activity and financial update to the members, discuss latest development, projects and campaigns as well as the future priorities and actions.
Nearly 30 player association have been present during the GA. EU Athletes supports the foundation and development of player unions and has expanded its membership with new organizations recently: AJUB (Spanish Female Basketball Players Association), AMBM (Spanish Women Handball Players Association), Malta Youth Athletes Network, WGPA (Women’s Gaelic Players Association).
During the meeting, 4 Directors have been elected to the Executive Board of EU Athletes: Simon Taylor (PPF) and Omar Hassanein (IRPA) has been reelected for 3 years term; Camille Delzant (UNFP) has been elected for 3 years and Carmen Ayela (AMBM) for a 1-year term.
Following the organizations efforts in gender equality and the implementation of the Erasmus+ SWAFE project, it is worth underlining that EU Athletes’ 8-members Board currently include 3 women and that 3 new female player unions has joined the organization.
Important events has marked the Assembly as Yves Kummer, who has been EU Athletes’ President since its foundation in 2010, has decided to step down. Aditionally, Jean-François Reymond, the General Secretary for the last 5 years has announced that he will be leaving his position at the end of the year, following his transfer from SNB to PROVALE, where he will become the Chief Executive of the organization. The delegates have expressed their gratitude and recognition of great work that has been done by the two organization’s leaders. The decisions regarding the future President and General Secretary of EU Athletes will be taken by the Executive Board during its next meeting at the end of October.
Oct 2, 2017
With our Erasmus+ project “2016 PROtect Integrity” concluding at the end of the year, we have organized the Dissemination Conference in Barcelona on 25-27th of September. The goal of this event was to share the first results of the project, share best practices and partners’ experiences through the project and to further discuss issues related to match-fixing and the player unions’ role in protecting the integrity of sport.
The Conference has gathered around 50 participants representing national player unions (from and outside project consortium) and other organizations such as FIFPro, IRPA, PPF, World Players, Europol, ESSA, RGA and National Platforms from France and Denmark. The delegates had an opportunity to get an update on completed and ongoing project activities of the project, particularly the academic research led by prof. David Forrest, as well as best practices presented by partner player associations. With the ambition to go further in order to tackle match-fixing, the second day included interventions on initiatives and cooperation against match fixing.
The Conference took place during the European Week of Sport, which is strongly supported by EU Athletes and its members. As a part of the project, we have prepared a short video available here, which features elite players from around Europe, united in the #BeActive and #PROtectIntegrity message addressed to grassroots level and young athletes.
The PROtect Integrity initiative will continue next year, with the Erasmus+ project “PROtect Integrity Plus”.
Sep 7, 2017
The World Players Association today launched a landmark standard to underpin holistic player and athlete development and wellbeing across the globe. The World Player Development, Wellbeing, Transition and Retirement Standard, Paris 2017 (Standard) addresses the acute need for sport to raise its investment in players as people as well as athletes.
Being thrust into an ever-more demanding and competitive environment at an increasingly young age, players can often struggle to develop an identity outside of their sporting personas. This can negatively impact players’ mental health, resilience and ability to successfully transition during and after their sporting careers. It can also substantially undermine athletic performance.
To address these issues, the Standard places the personal development, wellbeing and safety of players at the centre of sport. It:
- Sets the benchmark for the world of sport regarding the value it places on developing players and athletes holistically
- Serves as a tool for player associations in the negotiation and design of player development and wellbeing programs in partnership with sporting bodies, leagues and clubs
- Elevates and enhances the essential role of Player Development Managers (PDMs) in sport. PDMs, who are commonly employed by player associations, excel in tailoring personal development and wellbeing programs to the individual needs of each player.
“For the first time, world sport has a comprehensive set of minimum conditions to safeguard and resource the personal development and wellbeing of professional athletes. The Standard will both improve and expand player development and wellbeing programs, a key area in which many sports can invest more,” said Brendan Schwab, Executive Director of the World Players Association.
The Standard has been developed by the 75 player development and wellbeing experts including PDMs and program leaders who participated in the 2017 World Player Development Conference held earlier in Paris in April. It takes into account the research, experience and learnings of player associations from around the world who have been running cutting edge development and wellbeing programs since the 1990s.
“Player input into the Standard has been absolutely critical. It is often the player associations and PDMs who are closest to the players and most familiar with the personal challenges they confront day in and day out, ” said Omar Hassanein, Chief Executive Officer of the International Rugby Players’ Association and chair of the World Player Development Steering committee.
The Standard is guided by the principles that player development and wellbeing is a matter of occupational safety and health and that sport owes the players a duty of care. On this basis, the World Players Association looks forward to engaging with sporting organisations and employers regarding the adoption and implementation of the Standard.
Aug 5, 2017
In April 2016, EU Athletes have submitted an application to the Erasmus+ Sport Programme for a project related to Matchfixing : PROtectIntegrity+.
Last week the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), selected EU Athletes to receive a funding of 204.656€ between January 2018 and December 2019 to implement the action.
This grant will be complementary to the financial support offered by the private betting operator, EGBA, ESSA and RGA who have been co-funders of our education program since 2010.
For Yves KUMMER, President of EU Athletes, it’s a great opportunity to continue working to protect the integrity of sport in Europe:
We have now a long history with the private betting operators, they were the first one to believe that player unions were perfectly placed to implement a European wide prevention and education program directly to players. This new project will focus on whistle-blowing and reporting and will offer to players, in 7 countries and 5 different sports, the new tool to report any forms of approaches.
Over the last couple of years the private betting operators have supported the EU Athletes initiatives and for Khalid ALI, General Secretary of ESSA, it’s a new chapter that is about to start in 2018.
We have been working together with EU Athletes for more than 7 years now and we are really this partnership will continue for at least 2 more years. Integrity of sport is fundamental for private betting operators and we are looking forward to this new project.
The first meeting of PROtectIntegrity+ is scheduled for the last week of January 2018 in Paris, France.
