1. Introduction
1. Migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons face numerous challenges during their journey heading
to a safer place, which can affect their ability to adapt to an
unfamiliar environment when settling down in a new country. In addition
to the lack of family and social support, the newly arrived migrants
can experience difficulties into integrating in the host community
and are at risk of being quickly marginalised.
2. The practice of sport and physical activity can provide migrants,
refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons with opportunities
to be involved in a supportive environment and to strengthen social
bonds more easily. As pointed out by the 1992 Revised Code of sports
ethics of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, “Sport
is also recognised as an individual activity which, played fairly,
offers the opportunity for self-knowledge, self-expression and fulfilment;
personal achievement, skill acquisition and demonstration of ability;
social interaction, enjoyment, good health and well-being”.
More
recently, the 2007 White paper on sport of the European Commission
underlined that sport “generates important values such as team spirit, solidarity,
tolerance and fair play, contributing to personal development and
fulfilment”.
It also
encourages people to take part in the community they live in and
helps to enhance active citizenship.
3. Considering its beneficial effects on mental and physical
health, sport is often considered an effective social policy tool
which can limit anti-social behaviour, increase community cohesion
and help to develop self-esteem.
Therefore,
the inclusion of migrants through sport is conceived as a process
which requires the involvement of migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons, as well as members of the host community.
4. Numerous European countries, but also sports clubs and sports
federations have implemented projects facilitating the inclusion
of migrants through sport, either on a national or a local scale.
Members of the civil society, such as non-governmental organisations
and local associations, are also behind the implementation of many
projects and initiatives aiming to improve migrants’ social inclusion
through sport.
5. International and European organisations also play a key role
in encouraging and enabling the implementation of such measures.
In this respect, the Council of Europe has been particularly active
in promoting projects aimed at enhancing migrants’ social inclusion,
such as through the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport. Moreover,
the Sport migrant integration platform was set up as a network of
project holders aiming to promote the social inclusion of migrants
through sport. Implemented in the framework of the Action Plan of
the Council of Europe on Protecting Refugee and Migrant Children
in Europe (2017-2019) and in co-operation with the Union of European
Football Association (UEFA), it is a useful tool to share good practices
and connect initiatives on this topic. The European Union as well
as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are
also driving forces in the implementation of sport-based inclusive measures
at international level.
6. The present report aims to give an overview of the benefits
of sport as a social inclusion tool, the best practices in this
matter and solutions for the effective implementation of the inclusion
of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons through sport.
2. Sport as a tool for the social inclusion
of migrants
7. Migration processes can be
very hard from a personal perspective, as they frequently force
migrants to leave their family and friends and approach new cultures.
The limited knowledge of national laws and their vulnerability position
may lead them to fall victim to abuse, exploitations or social marginalisation.
In this context, local
communities retain an important role in promoting the social inclusion
of newcomers, for instance by forging interpersonal relations, promoting
migrants’ access to public services and including them in the community’s
daily life by identifying their main vulnerabilities. Sport can
be thus a crucial tool in this framework.
8. Social inclusion should be developed through a two-way approach.
While migrants benefit from better understanding local traditions
and developing a sense of belonging to the receiving community,
welcoming locals are also enriched by the encounter with other cultures
and the human and financial contribution migrants can make to the
community. It is therefore essential to plan community-based approaches
for migrants’ social inclusion through sport, where sporting activities
are not only designed to strengthen interpersonal relations and
to break down barriers of intolerance, but also to effectively include
migrants in societies. In other words, local sport and non-sport
organisations should co-operate so that migrants can use sporting
activities to share knowledge, access social services and contribute
to the labour market, without falling victim to abusive networks.
The co-operation among local actors is also fruitful for better
tackling any problem which may arise in the context of social inclusion
of migrants.
2.1. Sport
as an effective trauma healer and a means of empowerment
9. Migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons may have suffered from trauma in their country
of origin, during the process of migration and when settling in
the host country. These trauma usually have a long-term impact on
their mental health, which may even exacerbate in case of social
exclusion, inability to find work or to comprehend local customs
in the receiving society. In fact, in 2019, the
Comité pour la santé des exilé·e·s (Comede)
noted that 64% of the exiled people seen by psychologists and doctors
in France between 2013 and 2017 were suffering from psycho-traumatic
syndromes, due to verbal and physical violence or inability to integrate
in communities.
The combination of
all these factors may have detrimental effects on migrants’ confidence
and psychological well-being.
10. However, sporting activities can have a healing impact on
migrants’ well-being. First of all, sports allow people to escape
daily problems or, at least, not to constantly think about previous
traumatic experiences.
Connecting
with members of the local community also makes it possible to export
these healing effects in daily life, as breaking down isolation
barriers constitutes the first step to overcoming personal difficulties. Furthermore,
the presence of coaches, trainers or volunteers at sport centres
may become a shelter for people in need of psychological assistance;
as talking with them can be a tool to overcome misperceptions or
to share difficulties and fears. In other words, sport associations
may become places where migrants feel safe and protected.
11. Besides their known positive impact on physical well-being,
participating in reducing stress and improving health, sport activities
can also reinforce personal resilience to difficulties.
They can help migrants and locals to understand
themselves and others, by drawing attention to vulnerabilities and
strengths. They also favour the development of soft skills, such
as the ability to adapt to new environments or to take reflective decisions.
Finally, success in sport reinforces leadership skills and self-confidence.
12. The development of self-esteem can thus have ripple effects
in terms of migrants’ empowerment. Being good at sports develops
a sense of prestige within a sport community, which is even greater
when occupying positions of responsibility. For instance, migrant
coaches, volunteers or assistants are respected by locals and can
become role models for newly arrived migrants to participate in
socially inclusive sporting activities. Furthermore, the employability
effects of sport inclusion can arise as crucial forms of migrants’ empowerment.
In fact, participation
in sport activities can open the way to volunteering projects or traineeships
as coaches, advisers on socially inclusive policies, etc. Finally,
sporting activities can be included in educational programmes, thus
providing migrants with more opportunities to integrate into societies,
to obtain diplomas and to make new friends. In other words, sport
lets people become masters of their own life and bridge cultural
differences with others.
2.2. The
value of sport in a community-based approach
2.2.1. The
linkage with the host community
13. As a community-based approach
presupposes co-operation among local actors and the engagement of migrants
in socially inclusive projects, benefits can be underlined for both
sides. From the migrants’ perspective, they concern the possibility
to introduce themselves in the receiving society, to benefit from
ripple effects in terms of social networks and to develop a sense
of belonging.
14. Sport can often play a role of icebreaker for migrants.
In fact, regular participation in sporting
activities can help to introduce them to the local community and
to undertake the first steps for effective social inclusion. The
creation of friendships enables migrants to get to know other people.
In this way, trust bonds may foster migrants’ access to the local
labour market and other educational activities (for example language
courses, etc), reducing the perceived differences with locals.
15. Furthermore, sport can also be a vehicle for the transmission
of values and customs.
Indeed,
thanks to sporting activities, migrants can develop a sense of belonging
to local communities and get accustomed to club cultures or local
traditions.
The persistence of reciprocal
misperceptions due to cultural differences thus decreases, by leaving
space for bridging common perspectives.
16. That said, a community-based approach for social inclusion
through sport can also bring important benefits for the concerned
societies and sport organisations in terms of social cohesion, namely
“the ties which hold people together within a community (including
the degree to which they interact; share common cultural, religious
or other social features and interests; and/or are able to minimise
disparities and avoid marginalisation)”.
In
fact, co-operatively pursuing common goals lets people rely on each
other, thus creating trust bonds. Though success in sporting activities
can be an important tool to strengthen migrants’ confidence and
respect within a society, competitive environments may also be detrimental
to social inclusion, and the loose-or-win scenarios may end up reinforcing
hatred and stereotypes among different groups. Therefore, sporting
activities aimed at fostering team co-operation are often pursued
to overcome these difficulties and to forge interpersonal ties.
17. However, the most concrete effects of establishing inclusive
links between migrants and the receiving society through sport relate
to the ability of widening personal perspectives thanks to the encounter
of different cultures.
Receiving
societies can thus understand migrants’ vulnerabilities and set
up joint effective solutions to counter them. Furthermore, sport
bridges differences among peoples, reduces discrimination and fights stereotypes.
Effective inclusivity projects can thus change the receiving society’s
posture and narrative towards migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons in the long run.
2.2.2. The
inclusion of vulnerable persons
18. Sometimes, inclusivity sport-based
projects target specific categories of migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons. In this way, they aim to identify their vulnerabilities
and to find community-based solutions.
19. Two main factors help explain the scarce participation of
women in sport. On the one hand, cultural barriers may prevent them
from joining sport-based projects. They sometimes need the authorisation
of their fathers, or other male peers, and some cultures may perceive
sport as unsuitable for women. These cultural obstacles to female
inclusion are sometimes even reinforced by local sport activities
themselves since they are often based on a culture of masculinity
and patriarchal mechanisms. Furthermore, compared to boys, girls
are often portrayed as introverted and hard to reach, thus even
decreasing the attempt to socially include them through sport. On
the other hand, female sports often suffer from scarce media coverage,
reducing the possibility of developing role models who may end up
pushing migrant females to participate in sporting activities.
Therefore,
these factors combined may lead women to remain silent and not to
advocate for greater attention to their social inclusion through
sport.
20. If migrant women’s vulnerabilities are correctly identified,
sport can contribute to fostering their empowerment and visibility
in societies. Either sport associations can develop programmes specifically targeting
migrant females or women coaches should be given more visibility
in order to act as catalyst for change and role models for young
female migrants.
In
the first scenario, gender-based programmes could be more effective
in tackling specific gender needs. In the second case, greater visibility
of sportswomen could have ripple effects in terms of social recognition
and empowerment.
21. Sporting activities can also be a useful tool to transmit
values to children.
Sport
is indeed based on respect for rules commonly agreed, in the same
way that societies have decided to define their existence. Therefore,
sport transmits principles at the basis of daily life. In addition,
teaching children not to discriminate against people on the basis
of different characteristics and to deconstruct stereotypes allows
sport associations to lay the foundation for a more inclusive society.
22. Cases of discrimination in sporting environments are often
registered against the LGBTQ+ community. As a consequence, the fear
of verbal and physical violence pushes around 20% of LGBTQ+ people
to refrain from participating in sports they are interested in.
Nevertheless, coaches
and trainers bear a great responsibility in spreading inclusive
values. In this regard, sport organisations have started tackling
the issue of homo/transphobia in sport by developing awareness-raising
campaigns. Furthermore, the increasingly frequent coming out of
sport professionals is actively helping to spread tolerance within
sport associations and organisations.
23. Finally, sport can also be a stage for social inclusion of
people with disabilities. In fact, people with disabilities often
encounter physical barriers to access sport, as well as local communities’
prejudices. In addition, sport-based projects often suffer from
lack of sufficient funding for parasports. Yet, a larger media coverage
of Paralympic Games has contributed to reshape the perception of
disabilities, and paralympic champions are driving change for a
greater social inclusion of disabled people.
2.2.3. Sport
as a means of promoting gender equality
24. Literature has demonstrated
that women are often absent from sporting activities, since they
are rather asked to “help around the house”,
by cleaning or cooking. In addition,
pre-defined codes of conduct may push them to go to sport centres
only to watch their boys playing. Besides, when they are involved
in team sports, they may be relegated to “inferior” roles, so that
boys can play without worrying about their participation. The combination
of all these factors reinforces power imbalances in societies.
25. However, sport should be a driver for the promotion of gender
equality. Though mixed teams may sometimes perpetuate mechanisms
of discrimination, coaches and volunteers can promote gender equality
by evenly distributing play roles among girls and boys. In addition,
modifying sporting activities in order to foster co-operation for
the achievement of a common goal can forge trust relationships,
where everyone bears a certain degree of responsibility and importance.
Furthermore, wider media coverage of professional women’s sports
would help shape societal perceptions of women athletes and to elevate
female champions as role models for young girls. In this way, bridging
the divide between men’s and women’s sports has a ripple effect on
daily life in society.
3. Barriers
challenging the success of inclusive programmes for migrants
26. Literature and international
actors have highlighted several factors which can hinder the effective
social inclusion of migrants through sporting activities. These
can be summed up into two main categories: structural and socio-personal
barriers. All these factors may often intertwine creating hostile
environments for migrants. It is thus essential to know them in
order to effectively tackle their negative impact on a community-based approach
to social inclusion of migrants through sport.
3.1. Structural
barriers: lack of access and financial constraints
27. Structural barriers may affect
both migrants and organisations involved in promoting sport-based activities
for the social inclusion of migrants. From the migrants’ perspective,
they mainly revolve around their lack of or limited access to sporting
activities due to the location of sport centres and the need of
transportation, costs of participation, as well as legal constraints.
Furthermore, prioritisation of activities amounts to another important
structural barrier.
28. The first important factor limiting the possibility of migrants
to access sport activities is the locations of sport centres and
socially inclusive sport projects. Usually, these are undertaken
in the city centres and migrants living in the suburbs have less
possibilities to reach the locations.
The
absence of effective transportation networks or their high cost
may play a crucial role in deterring migrants from participating
in sport activities which are located far from their accommodations.
In addition, access to sport facilities may be sometimes restricted
for informal activities, thus further reducing the possibilities
of migrants not enrolled in a sport club to play with other members
of their community.
29. Not only do migrants have to face transportation costs, but
enrolment in sport clubs may require an entry fee. In addition,
sporting activities may involve some hidden costs, such as mandatory
sport uniforms or travel costs for competitions. Though some sport
clubs highlight the importance of having common attires as a means to
reduce differences among players and to strengthen the belonging
to a community, the costs of these uniforms are often high, especially
for migrants.
Moreover,
this burden may even appear heavier for unemployed migrants and
end up increasing mechanisms of social inequalities.
30. Legal issues can sometimes create obstacles to the participation
of migrants in community-based sporting activities. Indeed, residence
permits may be necessary to enrol in sport clubs and to participate
in competitions. However, it is especially the uncertainty in their
status due to the ongoing procedure of obtaining a residence permit
which may psychologically induce migrants not to integrate in sport
communities or to engage in personal relationships, as they could
soon be forced to leave the country.
31. Finally, sport is often not a priority for migrants, refugees
and internally displaced persons. Lack of sufficient money may push
them to prioritise activities essential for family sustenance over
leisure. In this context, migrant children are often asked to contribute
to the family’s livelihood, by taking care of their siblings or
helping with household chores.
32. However, structural barriers may also limit the capacities
and possibilities of sport organisations to effectively include
migrant workers in their activities. These structural obstacles
relate to lack of sufficient funding, policy gaps, organisational
factors and difficulties in undertaking co-operative projects with
other actors.
33. The first and foremost obstacle to social inclusion of migrants,
refugees and internally displaced persons through sport is the lack
of sufficient private and public funding. The issue is even magnified
in case of volunteering projects or when migrants are granted free
access to sport activities. Three main reasons can help explain
the absence of sufficient financial support. Firstly, sporting activities
are often not prioritised by private and public actors. Secondly,
private and public actors need verifiable data on the efficacy of
sport for the inclusion of migrants, so that they know their funds
would not be wasted.
However,
the lack of funds may lead them to prioritise other projects. Finally,
funding is often earmarked, imposing on sport organisations methods
and induced costs. In this way, operative actors may be restricted
in their capacities and the inclusivity of sport projects may be
only partially effective.
34. The lack of sufficient funds to sporting activities may be
explained by policy gaps and inadequate political perspectives,
as well. State funds are often based on short-term objectives, with
low or absent sustainability prospects, and lack of cross-sectoral
vision. These shortcomings thus reduce the possibility of sport organisations
to develop multi-annual and cross-sectoral projects and to gain
visibility. As a consequence, on the one hand, newly arrived migrants
may be unaware of dedicated socially inclusive sporting activities
due to their discontinuity.
On
the other hand, the lack of communication among States’ departments
may lead to financing similar projects within the same area of intervention
but neglecting a more effective differentiation of targeted activities.
35. Organisational deficiencies at sport and non-sport associations
may constitute structural barriers, as well. In particular, some
sport organisations are not interested in promoting the social inclusion
of migrants, but they rather prioritise competitions. In this way,
the acceptance within these clubs is conditioned to high levels of
physical and technical abilities, which therefore exclude migrants
who are not familiar with sports or those who feel hesitant to enter
sport clubs.
These
mechanisms of social exclusion are even exacerbated by coaches’
and volunteers’ low skills in dealing with different cultures or
by the lack of psychological assistance to migrants, refugees and
internally displaced persons.
36. Finally, difficulties in carrying out co-operation projects
among sport and non-sport local organisations may create structural
barriers to their efficacy. The presence of trust bonds is often
considered a prerequisite to develop further collaborations, and
the absence of programmes bringing together different stakeholders
in this domain does not facilitate cross-sectoral activities. In
this way, associations and volunteers tend to design projects only
with trusted actors, without engaging in other possibly fruitful
partnerships. Besides, divergences in mindsets, values and approaches
may prevent the creation of community-based activities. Differences
in human and financial resources may even magnify these difficulties,
as more funded organisations usually pretend to lead the projects.
3.2. Cultural
and personal barriers
37. Apart from structural barriers,
obstacles to social inclusion of migrants through sport can also
derive from cultural, interpersonal and personal elements. In fact,
the efficacy and the sustainability of sport activities for the
social inclusion of migrants are not only dependent on funding and
access, but also on the ability to embed values of inclusion and
tolerance into societies. In more general terms, sustainability
requires a common perspective between the receiving community and
the newcomers.
38. The main obstacles to participation in sporting activities
are based on linguistic, psychological and cultural factors. Their
impact can sometimes be exacerbated by hostile behaviours or lack
of inclusive communication and activities by the local communities.
39. Language is the first obstacle to an effective social inclusion
of migrants into local communities. The inability to speak local
language(s) undermines the chances of connecting with locals and
even understanding the rules of a sport activity. It can thus have
a detrimental psychological impact on migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons, as the inability to overcome their unfamiliarity
with local sports can reinforce reluctance towards sporting activities
and the feeling of being unsuitable for them.
40. Furthermore, barriers may arise from cultural and religious
traditions as well. Parents may sometimes prohibit their children
from participating in sport due to either being unfamiliar with
or unaware of the positive social effects. This can be particularly
evident when girls are involved.
41. Moreover, cultural differences may represent practical barriers
to migrants’ participation to socially inclusive sport activities.
For instance, drinking or sweating may be perceived as offensive
or inappropriate in some cultures.
42. Finally, local communities themselves may end up creating
hostile environments for migrants’ inclusion. Not all sport and
non-sport organisations are committed to inclusive projects, and
they may not understand the positive social effects of sport. As
a consequence, they may be reluctant to approach different cultures,
calling for a pure assimilation of national customs by migrants,
refugees and internally displaced persons who should eventually
set aside their own cultural and religious traditions. Expectations
are thus imposed on them, forging an unfriendly environment for
social inclusion.
Further
hostile attitudes can even occur through verbal discrimination or
acts of bullying and violence towards migrants. The combination
of all these elements may end up pushing migrants to neglect any
form of sporting activities.
4. Existing
policies and practices
4.1. Best
practices among States’ policies
43. In Azerbaijan, the role of
sport has always been recognised as a crucial tool for the enhancement
of the social inclusion of young people, especially refugees and
internally displaced persons. In this framework, during the recent
decade, the government built 100 modern settlements and 805 sport
centres for refugees and internally displaced persons, and erected
Olympic complexes offering various facilities (such as sports halls,
football fields, volleyball and tennis courts, gyms, swimming pools
etc.) in the most populated regions of Aghdam, Agjabedi, Barda Fuzuli
and Tartar. Furthermore, Azerbaijan also implemented the international project
“Football Schools with Fun” by Cross Cultures Project Association
within its districts. The project aims at building solid ties between
the most vulnerable and marginalised people, including migrants,
refugees and internally displaced persons, and local communities,
by organising football matches. Overall, around 30 000 professional
IDP athletes, including 3 839 women, got opportunities to train
and participate in sports competitions in Azerbaijan.
44. In France, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Sport, the
Agence Nationale du Sport was established in 2019 in order to keep
the society ready to address new challenges and develop sport practices
across the French territory. In particular, in 2022, the Agence
provided regional and local actors with €175 000 of subsidies devoted
to the promotion of social inclusion of migrants and disadvantaged
people through sport.
Furthermore,
France bears a great responsibility in promoting migrant inclusion
through sport especially since the next Olympic Games will be held
in Paris in 2024. In this framework, two projects deserve to be
mentioned. On the one hand, “Génération 2024” will allow 10 000
young people each year to participate in projects for the social
and environmental impact of sport. In addition, within this framework,
“Plan héritage” will be carried out in schooling context, so that
disabled and newly-arrived students can have equal access to sporting
activities.
On the other hand, “Impact
2024” subsidises sport organisations, regional and local actors
to promote sport around four themes, among which “sport for inclusion,
equality and solidarity”. In this framework, in 2022, the project
financed eight programmes for the social inclusion of migrants with
a total amount of €280 000.
45. In Germany, “Integration through Sport” is an ongoing programme
for integration of migrants, which started in 1989. In 2015, it
widened its scope to include refugees as well. The programme aims
at promoting “integration into sport”, where locals and migrants
co-operate to shape sporting activities, “integration through sport”,
namely forging interpersonal networks between migrants and the receiving
society and raising awareness of the benefits of social inclusion,
and “support of intercultural opening of sports”, through which sport
organisations are trained to deal with cultural diversity. Financed
by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Agency for
Migration and Refugees, it reached a total budget of €11,4 million
in 2016 and 2017.
46. Thanks to the large experience of coaches and trainers involved
in the project, “Sport for Integration” has been a driver for developing
further projects elsewhere, such as in Greece. The 2021 “Kids love
Sports” programme aims at enabling 4 000 children, the majority
being refugees, to visit the Panathenaic Stadium, to learn its history
and to practice sporting activities in the following two years.
Besides, thanks to the support of
Germany, the Hellenic Olympic Committee was able to set up the “Together
in Sport” programme in March 2021. Within this framework, trained
coaches introduced unaccompanied young refugees to sport, by conveying
values and principles enshrined in sporting activities. As of September
2022, 7 550 children, 53% of which are migrant, have participated
in the two projects.
47. Strengthening the social cohesion of migrants living in Türkiye
through sports has been the aim of a project designed by the Ministry
of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye and implemented notably
with the support of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), UNHCR,
and the Turkish Olympic Committee, “Social Cohesion Through Sport”.
Implemented between 2019 and mid-2022, it allowed a total of 7 503
children and youth between the ages of 8 and 18 to benefit from
sports activities, of whom 3 503 beneficiaries were migrants and
4 000 from the host community. Given its success, which allowed
to promote social cohesion amongst the migrants and host populations
living in urban areas in Türkiye and enhance the protection situation
of the migrant youth through engagement in sports activities, a
second phase was launched, which will last until May 2025. Activities,
including sport courses in different branches, sports festivals
and youth camps, awareness-raising seminars on topics such as health,
nutrition, hygiene, children's rights, self-awareness, anger control methods,
environmental awareness, Olympic Games, sports culture and ethics,
are taking place in the provinces of Ankara, Bursa, Mersin, Şanlıurfa,
Adana, İzmir and İstanbul.
4.2. Local
initiatives
48. Several local initiatives are
carried out by NGOs, civil society and private associations to transmit messages
of tolerance and inclusion of migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons. Due to the large amount of programmes, it is
possible to mention only some of them. The following projects were
all uploaded on the Council of Europe Sport migrant integration
platform, a database where sport organisations can share knowledge
and projects, as well as effective policies that can inspire others.
49. Operative since 2007, the Italian association LiberiNantes
promotes free access to sport for migrants and refugees living in
the Rome territory, by carrying out several projects of inclusion.
For instance, the association allowed a football team composed of
refugees and internally displaced persons to participate in competitions,
developed a hiking project in order to let migrants know territories
they live in and their history, and established education courses
for migrants. LiberiNantes provides migrants with free access to
their sporting activities and the equipment necessary to carry them
out. Finally, LiberiNantes contributes to the implementation of
international projects, such as the EU-funded programme FIRE+, aimed
at fostering migrants’ and refugees’ inclusion in and socialisation
with local communities through football.
50. Another interesting programme has been carried out by the
University of Vienna and the NGO Hemayat since 2013. “Movi Kune
– Moving Together” is targeting migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons suffering from psychological trauma. They use
sport as a tool to let migrants tie friendship bonds with members of
the local community and empower them. Sport can thus teach them
how to deal with future challenges. Besides, the project providers
complement practical activities with scientific research in order
to better use sport for psychological well-being on the basis of
the results of their sport-based programmes.
51. Finally, in Paris municipality, Liberfoot by the association
Les Dégommeuses specifically aims to include migrant women and LGBTQ+
community members . The Association has thus created a football
team mainly composed of LGBTQ+ migrants, providing them with the
equipment necessary to carry out sporting activities. The programme
strengthens the spread of inclusivity messages and tolerance. Thanks
to their experience, Les Dégommeuses also carries out advocacy work
and shares knowledge with stakeholders.
4.3. International
co-operation
4.3.1. Council
of Europe
52. In the last decades, the Council
of Europe has been particularly active in promoting sport as a means
of inclusion and peace. The Committee of Ministers has reiterated
its attention to the matter on various occasions, recommending actions
in different related domains, such as through,
inter alia, Recommendation
Rec(2001)6 on the prevention of racism, xenophobia and racial intolerance
in sport of 18 July 2001, Recommendation
Rec(2003)6 on improving physical education and sport for children
and young people in all European countries of 30 April 2003, and
Recommendation
CM/Rec(2015)2 on gender mainstreaming in sport of 21 January 2015.
In particular, Recommendation
CM/Rec(2012)10 on the protection of child and young athletes from dangers
associated with migration of 19 September 2012 called upon States
to “encourage sports organisations to draw up and apply all appropriate
measures within their power to prevent abuses in connection with
the migration of young athletes, in particular children, and to
adopt rules on agents’ activities, including clear ethical instructions
concerning their tasks and responsibilities” (paragraph 1), as well
as arranging social inclusion of young athletes by “(a) facilitate(ing)
their integration; (b) provid(ing) dual education (sports training
and school or vocational education); (c) channel[ing] unsuccessful
athletes into other activities; (d) provid(ing) appropriate housing
for young athletes; (e) help(ing) them to find another job when
their career or contract ends” (paragraph 6).
53. Apart from the Committee of Ministers, the Enlarged Partial
Agreement on Sport (EPAS) has played a paramount role in the promotion
of sport within the Council of Europe member States. Established
on 11 May 2007 by
CM/Res(2007)8 of the Committee of Ministers for an initial period
of three years, EPAS was later confirmed by Resolution
CM/Res(2010)11 of 13 October 2010. Its main activities revolve around
three axes. Firstly, it develops standard settings on sport activities
and advises States on sports policies, so that they are inclusive,
safe and ethical. In this context, it takes into consideration the
advice of representatives of sport organisations. Secondly, it monitors
the application of Council of Europe relevant recommendations and
the European Sports Charter. Thirdly, it undertakes actions within
the framework of “Sport for All”.
54. Finally, EPAS fosters European co-operation by organising
meetings at ministerial level. During its last Conference of Ministers
responsible for Sport in Antalya on 25-27 October 2022, Ministers
for Sport invited member States to “promote and safeguard human
rights in and through sport, provide adequate financial and human
resources, and to mobilise all key stakeholders to promptly address
remaining and emerging challenges”, such as ensuring gender equality
in sport, safeguarding child protection and fostering social inclusion
of the most disadvantaged people. Besides, they called upon EPAS,
inter alia, to “use sport as a tool for
social integration of disadvantaged groups, such as migrants, refugees,
persons with disabilities and senior citizens; develop a toolbox
based on best practices for inclusion of disadvantaged groups in
all aspects of sport and devise a communication plan to promote
it widely”.
55. Since its first adoption in 1992, the European Sports Charter
has been a milestone in the promotion
of sports in every member State of the Council of Europe. Its main
aim is to grant the right to sport to everyone and to provide States
with advice on how to develop their sport policies,
inter alia, to “ensure that the development
of sport is inclusive” (art. 1(c) of the European Sports Charter).
Regarding more specifically the human rights approach in sport with
regard to vulnerable groups, the Charter states that “The human
rights due diligence approach in sport requires respect for the
human rights of those involved in or exposed to sport-related activities
and should therefore: … apply a policy of zero tolerance for violence
and all forms of discrimination, paying particular attention to
individuals and groups in a situation of vulnerability, such as children,
migrants and persons with disabilities …” (art. 6.2(d) of the Charter).
During the 15th Conference of the Council
of Europe Ministers of Sport in Tbilisi (2018), a process for revision
of the European Sports Charter was initiated and, on 13 October
2021, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation
CM/Rec(2021)5 on the Revised European Sport Charter, which calls upon
States to design their sport policies according to the revised Charter
and stakeholders to take into consideration the principles there
enshrined.
4.3.2. UNHCR
56. In recent years, UNHCR has
been particularly active in the promotion of sport as a tool for
social inclusion of refugees as well. As a matter of fact, since
2020, 72% of 96 country operations have carried out sport-based
projects.
Furthermore,
UNHCR has undertaken important steps for the promotion of sport
as a tool to achieve positive social outcomes worldwide.
57. Adopted in December 2018, the Global Compact on Refugees has
progressively become a paramount document for the social inclusion
of refugees. The text calls upon States to undertake concrete actions
in “burden- and responsibility-sharing to better protect and assist
refugees and support host countries and communities”.
Recognising the role that sport
can have for the social inclusion of refugees, the Compact invites
UNHCR, States and other entities to develop partnerships to foster
access to sporting activities and facilities, particularly in large
refugee-hosting areas (paragraph 44). Within the framework of the
Compact, as of 2 March 2023, States,
sport organisations and civil society worldwide have pledged for
25 projects dedicated to social inclusion through sport and other
recreational activities, 40% of which through the delivery of sporting materials
or technical assistance.
58. Through the Global Refugee Forum, UNHCR promotes dialogue
and knowledge sharing among actors involved in spreading values
enshrined in the Global Compact on Refugees. The first Forum was
held in December 2019 and hosted 3,000 participants and 1 400 pledges
were announced prior or during the Forum.
Two years later, a high-level official
meeting was held to take stock of the progress achieved.
59. Furthermore, UNHCR, in partnership with the International
Olympic Committee and Terre des Hommes association, published a
toolkit to assist sport and humanitarian actors involved in the
promotion of sport as a vehicle for protection, including increased
social inclusion. The “Sport for Protection Toolkit – Programming with
Young People in Forced Displaced Settings” aims at promoting social
inclusion, social cohesion and psychological well-being of refugees
and internally displaced persons, by bringing about positive changes
in their lives through sport, with the aim of supporting an increasingly
safe, rights-based society.
60. Finally, in line with the recognition of the significant role
that sport can play in refugee response, UNHCR recently published
its first Sport Strategy “More than a Game” 2022-2026.
The
overall vision of the strategy is improved well-being and opportunities
through sport for the people UNHCR serves. More than this, the strategy
outlines how, across five interlinked areas of work, sport can contribute
to the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees and the High
Commissioner’s Strategic Directions, whilst aligning with internal education,
health, gender-based violence and child protection strategies.
4.3.3. The
European Union
61. Since the 2007 EU White Paper
on Sport, the European Union has recognised the paramount role of sport
“for social inclusion, integration and equal opportunities”.
In concrete terms,
the White Paper mentioned the ability of sport in forging a sense
of belonging and fostering intercultural dialogue. Therefore, it
concluded that “making available spaces for sport and supporting
sport-related activities are important for allowing immigrants and
the host society to interact together in a positive way”.
Following
this explicit commitment, the European Union has undertaken important
steps for the promotion of social inclusion of migrants, refugees and
internally displaced persons.
62. According to the European Union Work Plan for Sport for the
period from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2024, the main objectives
of the European Union in the context of sport are, among others,
the strengthening of sporting activities founded on integrity and
value transmission as well as the increase of sport participation
as tool to foster social cohesion. Furthermore, the EU Work Plan
draws specific attention to the Sport chapter of the Erasmus+ programme,
which finances projects aimed at promoting European values and inclusion
through sport.
63. In addition, the SHARE initiative aims at raising awareness
of the contribution of sport to regional and local development.
In fact, the European Commission acknowledged the impact investments
in social cohesion and inclusion have on territorial development.
Therefore,
SHARE collects data on sport-based projects for regional and local
development so that member States and stakeholders can share best
practices and knowledge in the domain.
64. Finally, the #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards acknowledge the
importance of sport for social inclusion of the most disadvantaged
people, including refugees and migrants and the fight against discrimination.
Every year, the most innovate ideas are awarded with €10 000, according
to three category prizes. In the 2022 contest, these were “Promoting
gender equality in sport”, “Sport for Peace” and “breaking barriers
in sport”.
The rationale of the project is
to give visibility to innovative projects so that other sport actors
can take inspiration for developing further programmes of social
inclusion through sport.
4.3.4. Other
entities
65. Many other entities, be they
international organisations, NGOs, civil society, have carried out
sport-based activities for the inclusion of migrants. The impossibility
of mentioning them all imposes a limited selection.
66. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been at the
forefront in the promotion of sport activities for refugees, including
by creating the Refugee Olympic Team, which officially debuted in
Rio 2016 marching under the Olympic flag.
Furthermore, the Paralympic refugee
athletes at the Rio Games participated under the Paralympic flag,
but not as an official team. Instead, the first Paralympic Refugee
Team participated in the Tokyo games in 2021. Through “Olympic Scholarships
for Refugee Athletes”, a dedicated programme created after Rio,
Olympic Solidarity supported 56 promising refugee athletes from
13 countries. The IOC Refugee Olympic Team participated in the Olympic
Games Tokyo 2020, with 29 athletes competing in 12 sports. At the moment,
42 refugee athletes are benefitting from the IOC funds, trying to
obtain qualification to Paris Olympics 2024.
67. Furthermore, the IOC strengthened its longstanding co-operation
with UNHCR through the launch of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF)
in 2017. The ORF aims at providing refugees and internally displaced persons
with access to sporting facilities and participation in sport-based
activities. At the moment, it is implementing programmes in Bangladesh,
Colombia, France, Jordan, Kenya, Türkiye and Uganda.
In addition, the Foundation has
reinforced its capacities by signing meaningful partnerships, such
as the Memorandum of Understanding with UNHCR.
The ORF, along
with UNHCR and the Scort Foundation also co-convene the Sport for
Refugees Coalition, a body of more than eighty sport, civil society,
public and private sector organisations that pledged their mutual
commitment to enhancing access to organised sport for refugees and
internally displaced persons. In 2019 they committed to “promote
and ensure access for all refugees, without distinction of any kind,
to safe and inclusive sporting facilities; to increase availability
and access to organised sports and sport-based initiatives for refugee
and hosting communities, actively considering age, gender, ability
and other diversity needs; [and] to promote and facilitate equal
access to and participation of refugees in sporting events and competitions
at all levels”.
68. The European Olympic Committees organisation (EOC) regroups
fifty European National Olympic Committees it works closely with
by advising them during decision-making processes, organising events
(for example European Games, European Youth Olympics Festival, etc)
and spreading sport values across Europe. In preparation for the
Tokyo Olympic Games, 21 out of 29 athletes of the Olympic Refugee
Team were hosted by European National Olympic Committees. Furthermore,
the support of the EOC has been particularly meaningful in the social
inclusion of Ukrainian athletes who fled their country following
the start of the devastating war of Russia against Ukraine. In this
context, in partnership with the IOC and Olympic Solidarity, the
EOC created a solidarity fund with an initial budget of US$2 million
in order to bear all the costs necessary for Ukrainian athletes
to train and to participate in sport competitions. In April 2022,
the EOC donated further US$500,000 to the fund.
69. In June 2022, EOC signed an Cooperation Agreement with the
European Commission. Within this framework, they committed to promote
EU and Olympic values, as well as cultural exchanges, and to adopt long-term
strategies to fight against, inter alia,
discrimination, intolerance and gender inequality.
70. The UEFA finances a series of national association refugee
support projects and staged in 2022 a new European tournament for
refugees, the UNITY EURO Cup,
alongside UNHCR, with the aim to
use the power of football to build a better future for refugees
and displaced people in Europe. For this purpose, UEFA signed a
co-operation protocol with UNHCR, supporting refugee access to sport
and enhancing social inclusion in the context of UEFA’s sustainability
strategy, called Strength Through Unity. Since 2017, UEFA has also
operated the Football and Refugee Grant Scheme, which provides funding
for projects across Europe, with national association programmes
receiving financial support to invest in their work with refugees.
On 29 June 2022, for the first time, UEFA hosted a new tournament
with eight mixed refugee national teams, competing for the inaugural
UNITY EURO Cup. Each team was composed of 70% refugees and 30% non-refugee
players, with the aim to demonstrate and celebrate football’s power
to strengthen ties between host communities and displaced people,
breaking down barriers and creating a spirit of inclusion.
5. Recommendations
71. Although a large amount of
local, regional, national and international sport-based activities
have been carried out to promote social inclusion of migrants, refugees
and internally displaced persons so far, several key areas need
intervention, as highlighted in the report.
72. First of all, States and actors involved in sport-based activities
should have due regard to the values and principles laid down in
the European Sports Charter. In recommendation CM/Rec(2021)5, States
are called to base their sport policies on the principles enshrined
in the Sports Charter and all stakeholders to take them into account
when designing their sport-based programmes. In this context, States
are invited to accede to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport
for a better implementation of the European Sports Charter and for benefiting
from a more effective international co-operation.
73. In addition, it is paramount that States adopt or ensure the
application of legislation prohibiting any form of discrimination
in sports due to nationality, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity,
language, or disability. Everyone should be granted the right to
sport, and specific actions should be undertaken to guarantee that
the most vulnerable people, including migrants, have proper access
to sport facilities and activities. Training coaches to be able
to detect migrants’ vulnerabilities and overcome them should be
promoted and assistance services should be in place to allow migrants
to feel safe and protected in sport centres. Language courses could
also be set up in parallel to sport-based programmes so that language
differences are no longer a barrier to inclusion. In addition, policy
makers should ensure that migrants, refugees and internally displaced
persons are allowed to participate in sport competitions as any
other non-migrant athlete.
74. Literature has demonstrated that structural and cultural barriers
are harsher where migrant women, children, LGBTQ+ community members
or disabled migrants are concerned. Therefore, it is necessary to develop
specific targeted actions to promote their social inclusion in the
receiving societies. In this regard, migrants or specific groups
of them should be involved in decision-making processes so that
solutions are adapted to tackle their vulnerabilities and provide
targeted solutions. A wider media coverage of women sports would
reach a larger number of young girls who are reluctant to enrol
in sports due to cultural or psychological barriers. The image of
migrant women athletes and champions could thus be a driver of change,
as it could reduce stereotypes and discriminatory narratives in
the receiving society. Furthermore, childminding services could
be set up within sport organisations in order to enable women athletes
to have their own time for sports practice.
75. Cases of discrimination have been registered against migrant
LGBTQ+ community members and people with disabilities. It is therefore
necessary that States and sport organisations develop awareness-raising campaigns
and promote tolerance in order to deconstruct stereotypes and spread
messages of inclusion. Targeted educational programmes for children
or training of coaches could be useful means to attain this goal. Besides,
wider media coverage of parasports could help towards greater inclusion.
76. The wider migration flows in European countries requires a
strategic vision for the social inclusion of migrants. Long-term
and sustainable projects should be privileged over short-term programmes,
and States should also invest in cross-sectoral initiatives leading
to further inclusion of migrants into the receiving societies, such
as undertaking sport-based activities in parallel to educational
programmes, especially for migrant children. Greater State funds
are an essential tool to achieve this goal and develop effective
policies of social inclusion. Migrants, refugees and internally
displaced persons should be granted free access to sport facilities
and sport-based activities, including the supply of sport uniforms
where required. Furthermore, given the healing effects of sporting
activities, sport organisations should be properly equipped with
psychological and social assistance available to all enrolled individuals,
especially for migrants. Finally, further funds dedicated to the
promotion of collaboration among sport and non-sport organisations
are needed to set up co-operative mechanisms and cross-sectoral
societal actions. Without any public funding, all these costs would be
borne by sport organisations, risking that their excessive amount
could push them to limit sport-based operations. Therefore, a larger
public support for sport-based activities aimed at the social inclusion
of migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons appears essential.
77. Ensuring public awareness of the benefits of sport as a tool
for the promotion of social inclusion of migrants, refugees and
internally displaced persons should be pursued. On the one hand,
States and sport organisations could develop effective awareness-raising
campaigns to highlight the importance of including migrants in societies,
thus reducing cases of racism and discrimination. On the other hand,
it is also paramount to effectively reach migrants through communication
campaigns so that they are aware of specific projects aimed at their
social inclusion.
78. Finally, the exchange of knowledge and experience, as well
as the creation of databases are important tools to foster the development
of sport-based programmes of social inclusion. In this framework,
States and other stakeholders are encouraged to upload their projects
on the Council of Europe sport migrant integration platform. Not
only would they benefit from a wider visibility at the international
level, thus increasing the possibility of reaching investors and
migrants’ participation, but they would especially share knowledge
and best practices with other local, regional, national and international
sport organisations so that a larger number of sport-based programmes
for the inclusion of migrants, refugees and internally displaced
persons can be implemented.
6. Conclusion
79. Following the start of the
devastating war of Russia against Ukraine, over 6 million of Ukrainians
have found shelter in many of the member States of the Council of
Europe. Actions for their inclusion have been taken on different
levels and sport-based activities can play a crucial role in this
regard.
80. In this context, the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic
Games of 2024 will be an important stage for spreading values of
inclusion and tolerance. The Refugee Olympic and Paralympic Teams
will participate in the Games and young migrant boys and girls will
take inspiration from Olympic champions. However, social inclusion
is to be promoted everywhere, at any level and at any time. Open
and non-discriminatory access to sport centres and sporting activities
is to be granted to migrants, refugees and internally displaced
persons so that both the newcomers and the receiving societies can
be enriched by the encounter of different cultures.
81. In this framework, several tools are at the disposal of the
member States of the Council of Europe, ranging from the European
Sports Charter to the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport or the
Sport migrant integration platform. Further commitment is however
still needed in funding resources, cross-sectoral interventions
and international co-operation. It is therefore necessary to fill
the structural gaps, overcome barriers and vigorously promote sport
as a tool for social inclusion of migrants, refugees and internally displaced
persons.