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Inclusion of migrants in and through Sport

Over the last couple of years CERC has collaborated closely with various sports organisations across Europe – GCP(Portugal) USMA Padova (Italy) Spell (Türkiye), CSI (Italy), Bosnian Olympic Committee (Bosnia) TKO (Slovenia) NOROC (Moldova) and it has come to realise the importance of the role sport can play in migrant inclusion.

There are two main ways to think about inclusion in sports: inclusion into sport and inclusion through sport.

Inclusion into sport is about helping migrants or other under-represented groups get involved in sports and giving them the skills to participate. This is the first step, which creates the foundation for broader inclusion through sports.

Inclusion through sport goes further. It encourages regular, long-term participation, helping people improve their skills and achievements. Being involved in sports is already a form of inclusion, and being part of a sports club offers even more opportunities for inclusion. Clubs provide structured, regular group activities, which naturally foster social connections and interactions. Many sports activities also happen alongside other social events, creating more chances for intercultural exchange.

Sports clubs are seen as important spaces for social interaction and community involvement. They help people develop skills and gain experiences that they can apply in other areas of life, like school, work, and the wider community.

As a result, it is fundamental that there is a concerted effort both at a grassroots level and also at a national/European level to increase migrant participation in sports, with the belief that this will unlock further opportunities for inclusion through active engagement.

Ukranian refugees and their parents participating in a recent event in Croatia. (Wecare Wesport Erasmus + Project)

Our research work has concentrated on this important aspect of social inclusion. For further reading

https://adsdatabase.ohchr.org/IssueLibrary/SPIN_Inclusion%20of%20Migrants%20in%20and%20through%20Sports.pdf

https://migrant-integration.ec.europa.eu/library-document/mapping-good-practices-relating-social-inclusion-migrants-through-sport_en

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327149017_SOCIAL_INCLUSION_THROUGH_SPORTS_A_SHORT_COMPARISON_OF_ITALY_AND_FRANCE