Sport and Disabilities in Europe

Journal n°12, by the Think tank Sport and Citizenship

Our review will now be in three parts. The first will be dedicated to an analysis of European sports policy and introduce the key figures in this sector. This quarter, for example, we have exclusive interviews with Viviane Reding, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of citizenship questions and Philippe Muyters, Flemish Minister of Sport representing the current Belgian presidency of the EU.

At the end of the review, columns categorised by theme will give you the chance to follow up issues raised in previous editions on subjects of major importance to society such as education through sport, combating violence and discrimination, or the relationship between sport and the media.

The central part of the review will still concern a key issue for society, which will be explored by numerous European experts. In this edition we are looking at the question of sport and disability in Europe. Although article 26 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights recognises the many rights of persons with disabilities (who make up 10% of the European population), it is clear that access to sport is still very patchy for these people. A lack of qualified staff, lack of access to facilities, discrimination, lack of information about the sports on offer…: there are still many barriers, even though public authorities and specialists (doctors, sociologists, anthropologists and so on) all agree about the benefits of sport in terms of health, social integration, independence and combating exclusion. It is a difficult situation which needs to be addressed through the new legal powers introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon

Sport and Disabilities in Europe

Journal n°12, by the Think tank Sport and Citizenship

Table of Contents:

The Journal PDF :