16/9/2011
President’s report 2011
The President’s written report is an introduction to the oral report at the General Assembly and should be seen in connection with the “ISCA Annual Report 2011” and “ISCA 2012-2013 Priorities”.
Headlines :
• Moving people – Moving faster
• Understanding and acting in the reality!
• Grassroots sport is TOP of the POP – not the bottom of a sport pyramid!
• Big events – big mistakes!
• Separation and time to find new partners!
• Knowledge is not always enough – Snapshot 1
• Acting in reality – Snapshot 2
Moving people – Moving faster
The last year can be described as a successful year where our slogan “ISCA - Moving people” could be added “ISCA - Moving faster”. The “ISCA Annual Report 2011” illustrates clearly that despite of financial crisis in general and for some of our members in particular, we have managed to develop and improve measures on almost all parameters.
We have a double strategy to combine the “Walking” with the “Talking” and in short we can conclude that in 2011 we “walked faster” and “talked louder”.
Thank you to all who took part in and contributed to our “Walking” and “Talking” towards the common goals.
At an ISCA General Assembly it is time to consider both internal and external perspectives. Right now we see a growing interest to be member of ISCA and we have an open attitude towards entities working with the aim of developing and promoting the areas we describe with terms like Sport for All, Grassroots sport and recreational physical activity. New members are most welcome!
The members are ISCA and ISCA is the cooperation among the members, so as a reality check we should discuss how we want see our organization develop in the future.
How does our focus on diversity go hand in hand with the very different levels of involvement among the members?
How does this diversity go hand in hand with the active democracy that we see in effect at the General Assemblies – not least in election years like in 2011?
The following report is an introduction to the debate at the General Assembly and I hope it can trigger comments and questions to be discussed on the 22nd of October in Paris.
In the following, I would to touch upon some important Sport for All political issues which are part of the Sport for All reality – and therefore part of ISCA’s reality.
At the end I give two concrete political “snapshots”, which I hope serves as precise illustrations of the sport political reality we operate in.
Understanding and acting in the reality!
Grassroots sport and recreational physical activity is action in the reality. The ISCA members act in the reality locally, nationally and internationally. Citizens’ wishes, ideas and expectations to their social and recreational life – this is the concrete reality of ISCA members. Understanding and acting in this reality is the daily challenge for ISCA members and it is the primary task for ISCA to assist and support the members to analyze and to act according to the actual expectation, needs and demands of citizens.
To act and react on knowledge and understanding of the reality is not only an internal matter for ISCA. It is a matter for all serious stakeholders within the sport and physical activity sectors – also here we would like to offer our assistance.
I believe we can be proud of the progress we have made in this particular field the last year.
Our practical projects, which have the primary purpose to provide knowledge and inspiration for understanding and creating actions in the local and national realities, have increased in quantity - and in my opinion as well in quality.
Our political positions and statements, which have the primary purpose to explain and illustrate societal challenges and solutions to political decision makers, have the last year reached more politicians and political institutions than ever before. It is my impression and sincere hope, that our evidence, analysis and positions have inspired and qualified the political decision making.
The ISCA way of acting is an open dialogue based on evidence and sharing inspiration. This way of acting has been recognized and acknowledged by several of our external partners. The mission to provide evidence and inspiration in an open and dialogue-based interaction should be continued and developed to other sectors we seek cooperation with.
We have so far had our primary focus on the civil society sector, the political decision makers and the sectors closely and directly related to sport and physical activity. We have achieved recognition and appreciation for our way of working. We have met progress and interest in practical cooperation from external partners.
However, we have also identified and been confronted with organizations, which to my opinion still stick to and promote outdated stereotypes of the sport and physical activity sectors, instead of acting on evidence- based reality.
I believe our direction and ways of working are clear, precise and correct and we should pursue this as well in the future.
ISCA will in the future seek our primary external partners among organizations, institutions and companies, which, despite being very different from ISCA, share the vision to create innovation of grassroots sport and physical activity and promote knowledge-based interventions.
Grassroots sport is TOP of the POP – not the bottom of a sport pyramid!
Grassroots sport and participation is TOP of the POP and not the bottom of a sport pyramid.
Unfortunately, we still meet the outdated perception that all sectors of sport and recreational physical activity are part of a pyramid model with grassroots sport as the bottom and elite sport at the top. A pyramid model which claim a very high interaction and relations between the various levels.
But it is history and not a mirror or model of the reality!
Grassroots sport and participation in general is TOP of the POP and we should acknowledge the strength and utilize it efficiently.
POP – whether it is describing a music style or a fashion trend is short for POPULAR. In other words it is popular or widespread among ordinary people. Grassroots sport is alone by its numbers and by its participation at the top of popular human activity. It is simply TOP of the POP.
History and evidence shows us which ways to go and which way not to go in order to develop sport participation. But there is still some way to go to reach evidence-based visionary sport policies.
It is therefore very encouraging when researchers study the reality of sport and when they produce data and models explaining and illustrating this reality.
Researcher Jeroen Scheerder from KU Leuwen has introduced a more specific illustration of the sport sector in the so-called: “Church Model”.
Scheerder, J. et al. (2011). Understanding the game: sport participation in Europe. Facts, reflections and recommendations (Sport Policy & Management 10). Leuven: KULeuven/Research Unit of Social Kinesiology & Sport Management.
The “Church Model” illustrates more precisely the various sectors’ size and interaction and importantly the limited or non-existing interaction between recreational sport, the major part of competitive sport and the elite sport. The “Church Model” is more precisely than the Pyramid illustrating the reality and especially the grassroots sport and recreational physical activity sector.
Big events – Big mistakes!
Another barrier in communicating the reality of the sport sectors is the myths about big events boosting participation. This misunderstanding is unfortunately very strong and unfortunately also very appealing to the media.
Several researchers have pointed out that there is no direct effect. Big events do not boost participation. After some big events a short term “Fireworks marketing” can be registered. But it is very short-lived and not efficient. In fact we have examples that the level of participation after a big event is even lower than before.
The question is:
Why do some organizations and promoters of big events consequently use the argument that the big events will boost participation when they are campaigning for the event?
Why do some organizations and promoters of big events use “the boost of participation” when justifying why significant amounts of public resources are being spent on big sport events?
To me it is pretty clear. Participation is “TOP of the POP” and something event makers would like to lean on. Grassroots sport and participation are in general better arguments than the big events itself. The aim seems to be to “explain” that the huge amount of resources being spent in very short time on an elite sport event - will “trickle down” to grassroots level.
But we do not really buy that story anymore!
ISCA will continuously work on providing decision makers and promoters of small and big elite sport or grassroots sport events with relevant knowledge and arguments.
It is not about being against big events. It is about being against the exploitation of grassroots sport and recreational physical activity as justification of massive spending on big events, where the benefits for grassroots sport and recreational physical activity is very limited taking into account the total amount of resources spent on such events.
Separation and time to find new partners!
As the reality and the “Church Model” illustrate a stronger polarization in the sport sector is developing. On one side we have the huge number of “Moving people” – those who are doing grassroots sport and recreational physical and on the other side we have a small group of highly specialized competitive elite sports people. Two different very groups - in size, interest, demands and goals.
On one side we have organizations, institutions, politicians and researchers describing and acting in the reality. On the other side we still have organizations and media keeping outdated myths in sport alive.
A more polarized world of sport and physical activity is a reality.
For ISCA the choice is easy. We are 100 % focusing on the grassroots sport and recreational physical and we will act in reality!
This position consequently means that we should consider, which partners will be the most relevant ones for us to reach our objectives. Which partners will be the most relevant ones for us, both within the international sport sector and outside the sport sector.
One month ago I was invited to speak at the “7th World Summit on Internet and Multimedia” in Shenyang China. Internet and Multimedia at the first glance seem quite far from our sector, but at a closer look it might not be the case. In short we can say that almost any grassroots sport or recreational physical activity has a component of internet and multimedia. Be it getting the information where to be active when, or using multimedia devices as an active part of the activity, such as the various GPS tracking systems. Over the last very few years the social media have exploded in numbers of users. We see new ways of connecting, “be-friending” and communicating. As a marketing and motivation tool the social media seem to be a start of a small revolution, which definitely will influence our way of organizing ourselves – also in the grassroots sport and recreational physical activity sector.
The social media have enormous potential in motivating and mobilizing people in the sport structures. But it has the same potential for motivating and mobilizing people without being part of the organized sport structure. In short, the clubs and associations have to provide more than the social media – more than information about when, what and where the activity takes place. If this basic information is the “only” thing the clubs and associations provide, it seems clear that the cheap, fast and interactive social media is an attractive alternative.
The internet and multimedia sector is an interesting and challenging sector for us. It is interesting because of the potential to motivate and mobilize, but it is also challenging – in fact because of the opposite argument: As almost any grassroots sport or recreational physical activity has a component of internet and multimedia – also almost any physical inactivity is highly influenced or motivated by internet and multimedia.
The internet and multimedia sector is one of a number of sectors where our future partners will be found, likewise the health sector and outdoor and urban planning. These are sectors we should be open to in the efforts to develop the grassroots sport and recreational physical activity – and not least in order to better reach out to the big groups of people who are physically active outside the associations or those who would like to become physically active.
It is our task to develop new partnerships which can assist more people to be physically active and to share the experiences better and faster. This will support us in our overall goal: ISCA Moving People.
Mogens Kirkeby, ISCA President, October 2011
Knowledge is not always enough – Snapshot 1
UN and IOC keeping myths alive. Commentary by ISCA President Mogens Kirkeby.
The missing correlation between the big events and increase in participation is quite clear. Several studies show that big events do not boost participation. This is not a problem in itself. The problem is that parts of the sport sector continuously try to keep this old myth alive. Unfortunately many organizations seem to have an interest in arguing against the evidence and reality.
In May the second edition of the "International Forum on Sport, Peace and Development" jointly organized between UN office on Sport, Development and Peace (UNOSDP) took place in the UN headquarter in Geneva. The Forum illustrated very tight relations between UNOSDP and the IOC. Unfortunately, it also became a platform to promote the old myth about big events being a “booster” of participation in sport. A number of speakers from both co-organizers promoted this myth and when questioned by researcher in the audience, this researcher was literally told to study latest research better!
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading death risk according to the World Health Organization and clearly one of the most effective health promoting tools in the hands of the sport sector is to increase participation in sport and physical activity. However, to be a serious stakeholder in health promotion, we have to build our propositions on evidence and there is no evidence that big events are very efficient in raising participation in sport and physical activity.
The sport organizations that work seriously with utilizing grassroots sport and physical activity in health promotion know that it is crucial to base our promises on evidence. Our partners in the health sector want facts and evidence - not assumptions and myths.
It not only can, but it will damage the recognition of the whole sport sector as a serious partner in promoting health, when such myths are conveyed and I find very critical that a high profiled institution as the UN office for Sport, Development and Peace create a platform for such messages.
Acting in reality – Snapshot 2
European Union Politicians and the European reality
Over the last 16 Months we have through ISCA EUROPE communicated our message to increase the participation in sport and physical activity. We have had success in communicating evidence, challenges and solutions to the problem that more and more people are inactive.
ISCA EUROPE has organized two Hearings at the European Parliament, we were invited to speak at the Public Hearing organized by the European Parliament committee for culture. ISCA EUROPE participated as one of four organizations in the Structured dialogue meeting during the Belgium EU Presidency. And we campaigned very strongly and with success for the members of the European Parliament to sign the Written Declaration promoting increased support for grassroots sport in Europe. The Written Declaration did – against many odds - reach more than the required 50% of Parliament members signature and this underlined two things; that ISCA and the other stakeholders supporting the proposal can reach out and convince the members of the European Parliament, and that the members of the European Parliament see the grassroots sport sector as a sector, which should have more attention at European level and in the various countries.
The members of the European Parliaments initiative and support to this Written Declaration ran parallel with the Council (for Sport ministers), who 19th of November 2010 gave their support to the idea and importance of sport for all. In their conclusion the EU sport Ministers says:
Support the "Sport for All" principle based on equal opportunities by:
1. Increasing the overall participation in sport and providing encouragement for physical activities to as many citizens as possible, including young people.
2. Paying special attention to social inclusion in sport of people who are currently not physically active, mainly among socially disadvantaged groups.
3. Bearing in mind that access to "sport for all" is important, including the accessibility and availability of sport facilities, infrastructures and venues to as many people as possible, in particular to persons with disabilities, as well as the importance of enabling persons with disabilities to participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities.
4. Encouraging gender equality in sport, especially concerning access to sport and representation in decision-making bodies, and including active measures against gender stereotyping.
