According to the decision taken by the First General Assembly of EFPM, the EFPM announces a declaration after each General Assembly.

Therefore you will find below the declarations of the General Assemblies.

The 1st General Assembly

September 23, 1995 / Istanbul – Turkey

Responsibility of the Media

Believing that Fair Play and sportsmanship in sports as well as tolerance and non-violent behavior in societies are important facets of the quality of life, and that the sports media has a vital role in affecting people’s behavior, it is proposed that:

1. The sports media should do its utmost to promote, inform and propagate the concept and understanding of Fair Play and Olympic education in the society and should take a stand against violence, attacks and the attitude behind “winning at all costs.”

2. To reach to final goal, which is sportsmanship, the targets designated for the media, in order for them to be enlightened and to be achieved are stated as follows:

– Players, athletes and sports competitors.

– Spectators and supporters.

– School children, students, their parents and teachers.

– Sports organizers, trainers and coaches.

– Referees and officials.

3. We call upon the members of the media:

– To be involved within the national Fair Play organizations and collaborate with their administrative organs.

– To be objective and impartial.

– To strive to improve themselves in Fair Play principles through better training of themselves.

– To insist on the educational aspects of the traditional and electronic journalism.

– To appreciate the true Fair Play actions of the athletes and sports participants.

– To avoid being involved in the interest conflicts concerning the organization of sports events.

– To avoid the over-emphasizing of corruption, scandals, chauvinism, fanaticism, hooliganism, violence and doping.

– To avoid the propagation of the concept “wining at any cost”.

– To avoid the over-exaggeration of the sports events and incidents those have not yet been justified.

The 2nd General Assembly

September 14, 1996 / Warsaw – Poland

Fair Play, Sport and Education

The delegates of nineteen European countries, participants of the Second EFPM General Assembly, meeting in Warsaw on 14 September 1996, declare that:

1. Fair Play and fair sporting attitudes, as well as tolerance and non-violent behavior are among the most important features of youth education.

2. Sport and the promotion of Olympic ideals are vital parts of education, particularly for young people.

3. Sport as young people’s favorite active pastime offers a wide range of opportunities for the development of a healthy personality as well for socio – ethical development.

4. Sport must only be seen as an instrument, the effectiveness of which depends on how it is used and on the kinds of social interactions, which are created within it. The educational environment must play the central role in this area.

5. Those involved in formal education have a particular responsibility to promote Fair Play, tolerance and mutual respects.

Therefore we recommend:

A. National Governments to

1. Consider Fair Play and tolerance as an essential part in the successful development of young people deserving the higher priority from all those who influence and promote good sporting experience and Olympic education for young people.

2. Include the promotion of Fair Play, tolerance and mutual respect in sport as a central subject of the physical education provided at schools, at all levels.

3. Prepare specific training and information material to support teachers and coaches in their Fair Play actions.

B. National sports organizations to

1. Organize and develop the structure and models of youth sport competitions according to young people’s needs and aspirations, thus creating the opportunity for self-fulfillment.

2. Encourage sports club administrators to consider education in Fair Play as a part of their role and responsibility.

3. Implement schemes in youth sport (school sports and sports clubs) which reward Fair Play and proper behavior.

The 3rd General Assembly

July 19, 1997 / Oeiras – Portugal

Fair Play and Top Level Sport

The delegates of the nineteen national Fair Play organizations participating in the 3rd General Assembly of the EFPM held in Oeiras on 19th July 1997, declare that:

Great sports teams and leading athletes often serve as idols and role models for young people.

Important sporting events are followed by an ever-increasing number of spectators; consequently, top-level sport provides a unique opportunity for transmitting the message of the sporting spirit, Fair Play, tolerance and antiracism.

Each athlete must have a desire to win, especially in top level, professional sport where athletes must give up many of the pleasures in life in order to be able to reach their goals. This is where the strength of top-level athletes lies.

For these reasons, great sports teams and leading athletes must be more aware than anyone that their behavior will act as an example for many athletes, especially younger ones.

Therefore they must;

– Comply with the rules and the spirit of sports.

– Accept the decisions of judges, referees and umpires without question or protest.

– Refrain from attempting to improve their performances by means of the use of drugs.

– Exercise self-control at all times.

– Accept victory and defeat with good grace.

– Treat their opponents with the respect due to them at all times.

– Refrain from seeking victory at any cost.

The 4th General Assembly

September 26, 1998 / Athens – Greece

Spectator Conduct and the Fair Play Idea

Spectator behavior at sporting events is an important contributory aspect to the quality and standards of Fair Play in the wider sporting context. The EFPM believes that actions should be taken to try to modify the behavior of spectators in such a way as to eliminate violence and other inappropriate supporter behavior.

Every effort should be made to encourage spectators to see sporting events as important aesthetic and artistic aspects of physical culture as well as an important vehicle for the expression of collective excitement and enthusiasm and forms of identification and local solidarity. Strong support among spectators is to be expected in competitive sport, but it must also remain within well-established and acceptable limits.

Therefore we recommend:

For spectators:

1.1 Supporters should be encouraged to know the rules of sport. They should not forget that referees, judges and umpires have more experience and a much better view of what is happening than they do. Like the players, referees will make mistakes from time to time. These should be accepted. Without a referee there is no game. Their efforts should be respected and problems understood.

1.2 Every good game needs a good opponent. Even the keenest opponent is not an enemy. Sport is not war. No one enjoys losing, but defeat should go hand-in-hand with appreciation for the skill and spirit of the opponent. Those who lose always return to win another day.

1.3 Most supporters want to shout and support their club or favored athlete. Supporters want to be involved, to be part of the event. They help to give sport its special character and atmosphere. But opponents should not be humiliated or abused for racial, ethnic or religious reasons. Sport is about performance and participation, not about the origins of your opponents. Positive support is called for – not negative abuse. All such abuse should be opposed. Sport is for all.

1.4 The manner in which support is expressed in the stadium and the language, which is used there, should not offend other supporters. Most arenas offer opportunities for all kinds of people to attend. Language and actions should therefore be appropriate to those who are around. Spectators should be sensitive to the standards of others.

1.5 Objects should not be thrown, nor should there be fighting in the stadium, regardless of what the provocation may be. Such behavior is dangerous in its own right but it can escalate and turn the stadium into a very dangerous place for all. Players and officials are also distracted by disturbances of this kind; spectator violence has no place in sport. Those who fight often claim that they ‘care’ for their clubs, but do not think about the consequences of their actions for all supporters. Those who are smart will not get involved in such actions.

1.6 Sports events are there to be enjoyed. Enthusiastic participants who are proud of their clubs and athletes are welcomed. All behavior must ensure that no one is put at risk of injury or arrest. The whole future of sport depends on supporters being able to accept that things will not always go in favor of their position or their views. There is always another day to play and to compete.

For Sports Stadium Managers:

2.1 Where appropriate, and especially for ‘high risk’ matches, consideration should be given to restricting or banning the sale of alcohol in and around sport stadium. We recognize that in some cultures drinking and friendly supporter behavior go together; unfortunately, in others, drink can help provoke violence. Where possible, national teams should avoid commercial and sponsorship links with alcohol.

2.2 Stadium managers should ensure that stadium facilities are up to a high standard and that measures to ensure the safety and comfort of all spectators are put in place, including spectator segregation and, where appropriate, CCTV. Visiting supporters should be catered for in the same way, and at the same prices, as home supporters. They should be made to feel a welcome part of the event, not unwanted intruders.

2.3 The media should be encouraged to support campaigns designed to defuse potentially violent encounters. These campaigns may also involve supporters and the police. If the media offend, clubs should consider appropriate action, including the temporary exclusion from future events of those who report misleadingly. The media and clubs must also report on good behavior and salute and reward supporters who perform well in this respect.

2.4 Club officials, supporters, police and stewards should be required to attend workshops on aggression management and violence control in order to improve the collective understanding of the sources ad consequences of violence. Police and stewards should learn, especially, how best to prevent small incidents escalating into violent confrontations. Police and stewards should be provided in sufficient numbers to ensure the safety and security of all supporters. Sports events should not be addressed as potential riots. A very large percentage of all sports events pass off trouble free. Police should avoid provocative modes of presentation and, at all times, act to prevent, not stimulate disturbances.

2.5 Stadium managers should ensure that comprehensive information is provided in the stadium so that supporters are kept properly informed about what is happening. Matches should, whenever possible, keep to the schedule; if this is not possible supporters must be fully informed about the reasons for delays.

2.6 The opposing team should always be housed in facilities similar to those made available for the home team. Teams should take the field together and be made to demonstrate their keen, but friendly rivalry before, during and after the match.

For sports Clubs and Players:

1.1 Sports stars are role models for the young. Despite the pressure they face, sporting heroes have obligation to try to behave in a reasonable way on and off the field or arena. At the same time, we should not idealize sports stars and expect too much. They have failings, as we all do. We should hold up realistic, not idealistic, notions of what we expect from sporting stars.

1.2 Sports stars should, themselves, be aware of the effects they can have on the behavior of their followers. Violence on the pitch can help trigger disturbances off it. Players should never, knowingly, try to provoke opposing supporters, though we expect players and supporters to show their excitement at victories and goals scored. This is part of the essence of sport. But supporters and players alike should also be gracious in victory.

1.3 Players should avoid racism or discrimination on the field and expose and oppose those players who are guilty of it. Sport has no place for this sort of behavior, no matter what the provocation may be.

1.4 Players should recognize the role they can play among the fan community in coaching, in education and in social events. This should be organized as part of comprehensive ‘community programs’ at sports clubs designed to maintain contact between club sports stars and local communities, even as top sports globalize in their development. Clubs and athletes depend upon local communities for support and services. This means they also have important local public duties and responsibilities, beyond the simple staging of sport events.

1.5 Supporters who are club ‘members’ or season ticket holders often have little say in the policies of sport clubs with respect to stadium organization, community links, dealing with supporters, ticket pricing, etc. Club structures would benefit from a little more democratization so that supporters feel they are better represented, that they have a say inside their clubs. This may also help to improve the behavior of supporters, who will be encouraged that they have a real stake in their sports clubs.

1.6 Major sports clubs are businesses and must be run in a business-like fashion. But sports clubs exist to play sport and to win matches as their primary goal, not to make profits at the cost of sport. Those who run clubs and leagues must have the overall health of the sport uppermost in their minds. Good sport depends on healthy and reasonably even and fair competition, not on the dominance of a very small number of fabulously wealthy and powerful outlets. National associations and governments must act more strongly to provide the sort of necessary regulation in sport, which will help protect grassroots and domestic sports interests, as well as promoting strong competition between and among European competitors. This is in the interest of all supporters and players. Sport is too important, too significant a part of the national fabric, to be left, simply, to the market place. Excessive commercial interests threaten the uncertainty and drama, which distinguishes sport from other mass cultural pursuits.

The 5th General Assembly

June 19, 1999 / Paris – France

Ethics and Doping

Our national representatives from twenty countries met in Paris between 16th and 20th June 1999 at the Fifth Congress of the European Fair Play Movement. During this meeting we worked on the following topic suggested by the French Association for Sports without Violence and for Fair Play:

We analyzed the serious confrontation between two conceptions of sports practice and thanks to the numerous and talented speeches given by the distinguished key figures from the world of sport, medicine, law, education and economy, we enriched our thoughts.

We had three questions to be answered:

– Doping, why?

– How can doping be punished?

– How can it be avoided?

Reviewing the different participants in sporting life and their environment we tried to draw for the next few years the lines of action with following aims:

– To give prominence to the goals of healthy sports practice

– To find the profound sense of sports performance

– To give a real meaning to sports.

Since we condemn unhesitatingly the use of doping substances by athletes we think that our obligations are the following:

1. To respect athletes from exposing themselves too much to the world of media and money and to make them clear minded concerning the fever of the prestige, the image, the fame, the cult of a hero and also to help them when morally and (or) physically they become weaker. Top-class athletes have to remain examples and the ambassadors of sports and they cannot become victims or accomplices.

2. To multiply the information at all levels; especially among young people with the help of sports and school trainers and of course parents so as each athlete can be directly concerned.

3. To introduce the knowledge to allow an efficient presentation in school and university programs and in the programs of the training courses for state and federal sports managers.

4. To give trainings to the whole medical body and its entourage, especially to sports doctors. These courses should be updated all the time in order to be used in a professional way and to guarantee a large circulation in families, clubs, medical centers etc.

5. To establish immediately an international harmonization of the issue of medicines, beyond national rules.

6. The national and international sports federations have to set themselves limits on the number of competitions since the multiplication of competitions suggests the doping to athletes who are not able to follow the infernal burden. Moreover they have to develop in their networks the circulation of the preventive information by using all their means.

7. The Ministries, the governments, the states and the European Union have to take part in information campaigns, to encourage them, to support them. They have to help set up the laboratories of research which could improve the techniques and equipment of training courses and to organize the structures which could realize intelligently and indisputably the doping tests both at national and international levels.

8. And unfortunately it is essential to set up the disciplinary and criminal measures, which are aimed at sanctioning doping. The measures should not concern only the offending athlete but also:

– The sports authorities

– The medico-technical managers

– The leaders of the federations

– The person inciting the use of doping products,

– The suppliers.

The sanctions have to be strict enough to be dissuasive and they have to remain indisputable.

1. To search for an inter-federal harmonization and an international regulation all the time even if we meet some obstacles and difficulties.

2. To give responsibilities to all decision – makers and participants of the sports world, to persuade them that the game can be won only if we converge our efforts and those of the media and the economic world.

3. To convince everybody that is possible to become successful and to arrive at a top level without resorting to doping.

Prevention, Education and Research are essential elements. But since it is necessary controlling and sanctions are also the unavoidable elements of a political intention of keeping the sports image as a model of value in our society, a prey to doubts. The public continues to associate this value with athletes.

We hope that our joint efforts will campaign for a real education of health and life.

The national representatives ask their president to pass on the present declaration to the European Commission and Council of Europe, to the governments, to the Olympic committees and to the sports federations of the members of the Union so that the necessary measures can be taken against the recorded problems.

The 6th General Assembly

November, 2000 / Jerusalem – Israel

(Instead of Jerusalem – Israel, held on February 3, 2001 in Paris- France)

Violence in Sport and Society

The 6th EFPM Congress was convened in response to the need to:

– Define the relationships between aggression and violence in sport and society.

– Define the role of fair play in educational settings, in the mass media, regarding abuse of women in sport, and in terms of the law.

– Provide policy makers with clear recommendations for supporting and enhancing the concept of fair play.

Contributors included those from disciplines encompassing sociology, criminology and communications as well as education.

These disparate disciplines and professions presented concepts and principles, which were shared among them in written exchanges leading to common understanding and resulted in this document.

It should be noted that the full texts, which were to be presented in the congress, have been included in this congress publication. These may explain the necessary detailed support to the many statements and recommendations included in this position statement.

Preamble:

We, the members of the editorial committee of this document, support the efforts made by the European Fair Play Movement for the advancement of fair play in all sporting events – to all countries, sports associations, clubs, sportsmen and sportswomen, and to anyone who assume roles related to the organization of sports and fair play in sport.

We call on all sportsmen and women, referees, fans, managers, administrators, trainers, coaches and representatives of the mass media to observe the rules of fair play, guided by the regulations of the different branches of sport and the principles of mutual respect and esteem between all those involved in sporting activity.

Because of our obligations to establish an appropriate public sports system, based on the knowledge of the potentially positive contribution that sport can make to all participants, and in consequence of our aspirations to establish a competitive and equitable system devoid of violence in sport, we recommend the following concepts and principles.

1- Aggression and Violence in Sport from a Sociological Perspective

1.1 It is absolutely necessary to take radical preventive and suppressive action aggression and violence in sport. Unfortunately, the “law and order” approach to this problem will alone not be adequate, since the underlying causes of the phenomenon must also be addressed. It is therefore recommended that cross-cultural research be undertaken in this field.

1.2 A policy of “sweeping certain issues under the carpet” connected with unsporting behavior on the playing fields and on the stands, will not solve the problems, hypocritical approaches should end it. It is recommended that all national and international sporting bodies openly and in the full aware-ness of their responsibility confront the erosion of ethics in sport.

1.3 Anti-racist campaigns undertaken by various political, civil and sports institutions must coordinated and disseminated throughout sport more deliberately and resolutely.

1.4 Any kind of reward for unacceptable behavior, violence, for example violence, on the part of athletes, coaches, officials, or spectators must be ruled out.

1.5 Any kind of unacceptable behavior, for example violence, must be penalized in such a way as to ensure that the disadvantages entailed outweigh and advantages that may be gained in a particular contest or in future contests.

1.6 Players, coaches and officials must be encouraged to focus on skill, challenge and the joy of striving for excellence, rather than merely winning. Those who lose a well-played, but fair sporting contest must be acknowledged to a greater extent than those who contribute to a poorly played, unfair and fortuitous winning effort.

1.7 Workshops, educational sessions, and meetings of athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, parents and of community members as well as public awareness campaigns must be organized to communicate both the positive core values of sport and fair play, and the harmful effects of unacceptable episodes in sport.

1.8 Participants must be encouraged to see opponents as partners in the pursuit of a well-played contest rather than as enemies to be eliminated or beaten by any means.

1.9 The pursuit of sporting excellence and enjoyment must be encouraged by exemplifying fair, honest and skillful competition.

1.10 In order to curb peripheral and extended conceptions of un-acceptable behavior, such as violence, in and around sport.

1.10.1 Media forums should be organized to educate executives and personnel on the negative impact of unacceptable and violent behavior in sport and among spectators.

1.10.2 Meetings should be arranged with leaders in sport-related private corporations, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies to analyze and reform practices that are deemed unethical, inhumane, and/or oppressive.

1.10.3 Sports subcultures should be identified in which unacceptable and violent proclivities are found and means should be sought to minimize such activities in and around sports venues.

1.10.4 A “zero tolerance” policy should be pursued towards those in the sports community who engage in unacceptable or violent acts toward women and minorities. Systemic structures in sport that fail to eliminate such behavior must be changed.

1.10.5 A positive and healthy concept of the sporting body should be encouraged and developed by means of public awareness campaigns; the sports community must be educated with regard to the kinds of assault and abuse, which can be directed against the athlete in our technological age.

2- Racial and Ethnic Hatred

Programs and strategies against racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism must cover three main aspects:

2.1 An oversight commission mandated to observe, monitor and combat racism, xenophobia and intolerance is a positive political development. In addition better education, better prospects for young people, lower unemployment, the development of public exchange programs, and similar measures should be added as good instruments with which racism, xenophobia and intolerance such as anti-Semitism can be prevented or reduced. These actions must be undertaken by the state and normally occur over a long period of time.

2.2 Information packages should be developed solely by the state and by sports and leisure organizations. In most cases, such actions are currently being undertaken, although it also requires a relatively long time before information becomes concrete behavior. These can only be accompanying or supporting measures.

2.3 To achieve short-term effects, it is necessary to define and develop target group-oriented* and situation-oriented ** strategies:

2.3.1 The first group involves working on problem-solving strategies (i.e. bringing young people of different races or ethnicities together or organizing round tables or adventure activity projects;)

2.3.2 The second group involves working out certain goals and objectives which underlie specific sports and leisure activities (i.e. promote karate or judo in their capacity as sports which develop personality and character, or to offer team sport activities as a means of teaching young people fairness and tolerance, or to organize outward bound projects to develop the ability to rely on others and to take on responsibility for others, or to offer multifunctional areas to allow young people to organize their own sports and leisure activities and to promote a sense of self-regulation, etc.)

* Target group-oriented strategies are those, which inform and enlighten the educators (i.e. youth leaders, instructors, coaches, etc.) and which concentrate on young people who are (potentially or actually) at risk (i.e. hooligans, gang members, young unemployed, substance abusers, etc.)

** Situation-oriented strategies can be divided into two groups:

3-Schools, Young People and Sport

3.1 Schools should offer units of study with direct focus on tolerance, thereby defining this concept and examining selected ethnic groups by a view toward promoting an attitude of acceptance of their culture and customs.

3.2 Coaches and others working directly with young people in sport should be given written summaries of the units of study mentioned in 3.1.

3.3 Coaches, enforcement officers, teachers and other educators working directly with young people in sport should be encouraged to ensure that the salience of the principles of tolerance are maintained in the everyday actions of young athletes as they train for and compete in their sport.

3.4 A strong and long-lasting partnership should be developed between law enforcement officers and teachers and other educators.

3.5 School programs should be created and developed that define improper behavior and the appropriate negative consequences of such behavior.

3.6 The concept of “fair play” and the words themselves should be instilled in the sports activities at each and every school campus.

4- The Media and Violence

4.1 From an instinctual-cathartic point of view, controllable aggression in sport is positive for participants and spectators, since it provides a “civilized” way of discharging aggression.

4.2 Society must protect itself from self-destruction, therefore the broadcasting or transmission of violent sports should be controlled or eliminated as far as possible.

4.3 One of the strongest learning itself mechanism involves the imitation of idols. Sport provides many idols, of whom many stand out on account of their aggressive behavior. This means that learning by imitation of such behavior may have a long-lasting and detrimental effect upon individuals and society. Therefore, it is recommended that non-aggressive idols be given media exposure rather than violent ones.

4.4 The world of sport has proven its ability to combat negative self-destructive phenomena (such as the battle against drugs). Violence in sport should be regarded as such a phenomenon and consequently a comprehensive and on going operation must be carried out against it.

4.5 No legitimacy should be given to sports stars who incite unacceptable or violent behavior or who demonstrate pathetic public tantrums.

4.6 Sports programs are supported by advertising for commercial products. The public should be educated and guided to refrain from purchasing products, which support violent sports.

4.7 The media around the world needs to pay more attention to women’s sports in an effort to increase its popularity, economic value, and the funding available for it, and to enhance women’s chances to excel in sports.

4.8 Title IX* may be used as a model upon which governmental interventions could be based to close the gap between men’s and women’s sport.

* Title IX was the famous movement in the US (passed in 1972), which aimed to increase women’s sports profile in a crusade for equality in sport.

5-Female Abuse in Sport

5.1 In order to eradicate all forms of gendered violence in sport, sports organizations need to move beyond liberal gender equality policies and instill anti-harassment practices and principles of ethics into their work.

5.2 If women are ever to assume their natural human rights in sport a complete constitutional overhaul and cultural change in the major sports organizations is required.

6- Protecting Fair Play and Individual Rights: The Role of the Law in Sport

6.1 The law and legal process can assist in resolving many disputes that arise in sport as well as off the field.

6.2 Athletes and other stakeholders in sport have the same rights as other citizens and should have access to the law to protect and pursue their rights.

6.3 Sport administrators must be aware of their legal responsibilities as sport becomes more professional and sophisticated.

6.4 Investors and sponsors in sport must have confidence in the accountability of the sport organization and of its athletes and management.

6.5 As sport is increasingly becoming a business, it must be regulated in the same way as any other business.

The 7th General Assembly

September 14, 2001 / Bratislava – Slovakia

Fair Play Behavior in Top Level Sports and its Influence on Youth

The participants of the 7th Congress of EFPM came to the conviction that in the field of fair play and top level sports and its influence on youth, it is necessary to use more the human potential of sports and its educational character. It must accept the quality of life in harmony of the body, soul and mind. Therefore at the same time it is important:

– To propagate fair play as a lifestyle not only in sports

– To unify the educational activities of parents, teachers and trainers spirit of fair play

– To lead top level athletes to the knowledge that it is their duty to be a positive educational example

– To develop aims for the education of the youth that do not cross the border of fair play

– To influence the media in a way that they propagate positive examples of famous athletes as opposed too more attractive but negative examples

The 8th General Assembly

September 29, 2002 / Ljubljana – Slovenia

We, participants of the 8th European Fair Play Congress, held in the hospitable City of Ljubljana, the capital of Republic of Slovenia, from 25 countries,

• having being discussed the general topic of the Congress, namely Fair Play – a basic value in Sport and Life,
• trying made the useful contributions into the studies of Fair Play as a meaningful social phenomenon,
• having realised that sport and the Olympic Movement at present experience certain difficulties and problems, particularly increased doping intervention, violence and corruption,
• having in mind, at the same time, that sport as such is one of the most popular value of the modern culture,
• trying to specify the possibilities to promote Fair Play among the population of our countries, particularly the young generation,
• come to conclusion to do our best for promotion the 7 below mentioned APPEALS in our educational, scientific and practical activities:

1. In promotion Fair Play ideals: to consider an athlete as a personality, sport as an institution and a society as an environment in which all participants have to communicate and cooperate.

2. In the creation and development of national systems of physical education and in creation and spreading of national systems of Olympic education: to consider the promotion of Fair Play as one of the principal programme item.

3. In our different activities for promotion Fair Play: to consider the specific particularities of this phenomenon depending the types of multicultural societies, levels of sport performances, age groups and other peculiarities.

4. In our activities aimed at studies of Fair Play as a general value and a tool for humanisation of society which has to be applied to different areas of human life: to appeal to the leading social scientists dealing with the whole spectrum at the modern society, and not only sport.

5. In our promotion of Fair Play in Europe as a whole and in individual countries: to use not only possibilities of permanent or long-term activities, but the short-term individual programmes with the specifically announced aims and target groups.

6. In the further studies of Fair Play: to establish more specified links and interdependence of Fair Play principles with the real difficulties and problem of modern sport and Olympic movement, resulting in doping, aggressiveness, fraud, bias officiating, and corruption.

7. In our different educational, organisational, training and other activities within frames of sport as a social phenomenon: to consider as one of the main priorities the fight against all types of racism and xenophobia, and violence connected with them.

The 9th General Assembly

September 20, 2003 / Funchal, Madeira, Portugal

Fair Play in sport for all

Following the 9th European Fair Play Congress, held from 18th to 19th September 2003 in Funchal, Portugal (Autonomous Region of Madeira) on the topic of Fair Play in Sport for All, the delegates from 27 member countries of the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) concluded that Sport for All represents a key task for the Fair Play Movement.

A series of positions have been developed:

· Sport for All has grown into a dimension that it should be recognised as an equally important entity beside competitive sport and especially high level sport.

• Sport for All rediscovers the indigenous sports of the world and expects them to be recognised as a part of the sport curriculum for the future.
• The participants of Sport for All are the largest number of persons to address the message of Fair Play and the greatest resource of volunteers to promote Fair Play.
• In Sport for All the attitude of Fair Play develops less in social competition and more in social cohesion.
• In Sport for All other motivations than victory play a role: enjoyment, health aspects, togetherness, active living.
• In Sport for All there is less concurrence and more conviviality; it is a philosophy of inclusion, not selection.

It is the diversity of people, motivations, sports forms, their enormous number and social composition that can be evaluated as a major change and challenge for Fair Play.

This makes Sport for All an excellent contributor for dealing with many challenges of today through Fair Play:

· Living in a multicultural and multilingual society: be fair with those who are different!

• Living with more and more elderly persons: be fair with the elder generation!
• Living with people with special needs: be fair to these people!
• Acquiring a more active and healthy lifestyle: be fair to your body!
• Protecting the environment: be fair to nature!
• Overcoming loneliness and boredom: be fair to an enjoyable life!

Thus, the human dream of Fair Play as a way of life for everybody can especially become true in sport through Sport for All.

The 10th General Assembly

September 24, 2004 / Vienna, Austria

Fair Play is a Philosophy of Life: “Ten Years at the Service of European Sport”

THE PARTICIPANTS of the 10th European Fair Play Congress held from September 22 to 26, 2004, in Vienna, Austria

HIGHLY APPRECIATING the contribution by the European Fair Play Movement founded in 1994 to the promotion of moral principles in sport in the countries of Europe,

COMMENDING on the considerable role of the EFPM Congresses in the development of the theoretical basis and the implementation of Fair Play principles,

PAYING TRIBUTE to the activities of the EFPM aimed at promoting Fair Play principles in the member countries and the role of the Play Fair Magazine in it,

APPRECIATING the role of the European Fair Play Awards system founded in 1999 under the European Olympic Committees’ patronage of Fair Play promotion,

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION that the improvement of the implementation of Fair Play at national, local and club levels can be an important tool for making sport more humane,

BELIEVING that further steps aimed at developing the theory of sports ethics and Fair Play principles as its quintessence should be taken,

ON THE BASIS of the analysis of the aims and tasks of the European Fair Play Movement made at its 10th Congress,

APPEAL to all interested sports organizations at international, national, local and club levels to target their efforts at the successful solution of the most important and topical scientific and practical problems of the Movement as follows:

1. The involvement of new countries in the European Fair Play Movement.

2. The involvement of the European sports associations in the European Fair Play Movement as corporate members.

3. The involvement of the sports organizations at national, local and club levels, including sports schools, in the activities of the national Fair Play structures.

4. The inclusion of the European Fair Play Movement in the process of European integration, the strengthening of the contacts and co-operation with the European structures.

5. The development of the philosophy of the Fair Play Movement as a social movement aimed at the promotion of the humanistic values of sport.

6. The promotion and implementation of the advanced Fair Play experience in the sports activities of national, local and club organizations.

7. The holding of each and every European Fair Play Congress in the future as a comprehensive scientific and practical event, open to cover all areas of Fair Play activities.

8. The development of motivation methods for respecting and observing Fair Play principles in all areas of sport.

9. The development of motivation methods for Fair Play promotion in the mass media.

10. The development of the European Fair Play Awards system first of all as awards for merit in promotion of social movement.

11. The promotion and implementation of the experience of advanced countries in creating the national Fair Play Awards systems among EFPM corporate members.

12. The promotion of Fair Play material for Olympic education at national level.

13. The involvement of spectators and particularly fan-clubs in the Fair Play Movement.

14. The search for new sources of financial support for Fair Play activities on European, national, local and club levels.

15. The search of the opportunities for the projection of Fair Play principles from sport into everyday life.

Appeal 1 (by ASKÖ)

“Fair Play and the Sports Industry”

The sportswear market is big business. In 2002 it was worth more than 58 billion US Dollars worldwide. On the other hand most countries have signed up to international conventions which aim to protect the rights of workers.

And what about the Olympic Movement?

It is committed to the principle of fair play, solidarity and the value of human beings, but it has taken no concrete action to clean up its own production and to challenge the sportswear industry on which it depends for so much sponsorship.

Therefore, the EFPM condemns in accordance with the international “Play Fair at the Olympics” campaign the widespread abuse of many of the workers who produce sportswear. Workers are being paid poverty wages, working excessively long hours often with forced overtime, little job security and limited freedom to defend their rights through trade unions.

During this Olympic Year when such a high value is put on fair play, the EFPM joined workers and consumers all over the world who are calling for change across the whole of the sportswear industry.

In the spirit of the Olympics, the International Olympic Committee and all sportswear companies must take action now.

The EFPM calls on the IOC

– to take responsibility for how all official Olympics merchandise is produced and

– to make sure, in the Olympic Charter and in practice, that worker rights are respected in all Olympics-related contracts.

The EFPM calls on the sportswear industry

– to include all internationally accepted worker rights in their code of conduct and to make sure that they are guaranteed as well as

– to make sure that workers in the entire supply chain are allowed to defend themselves through trade unions, are paid a living wage and are provided with safe and decent working conditions.

This has to be done as an act of solidarity and in full respect of Charter of Human Rights.

Appeal 2 (by Klub Fair Play, Slovak Olympic Committee)

“Sports does not speak the language of war”

We, the participants of the 10th European Fair Play Congress, representing national Fair Play organisations, hereby call on athletes, coaches, representatives of the mass-media, sports clubs and federations, the organisers of sports events at local, regional, national and international level – simply all members of the sports community who are convinced of the positive role of sport in our world, to join us.

Therefore, we, members of a sports family living by these values, recommend that:

Teams, athletes, coaches must ban aggressive expressions and war-like language when talking about their opponents.

They must be aware of their influence as role models on young generations and society as a whole. Even the most important sports competition must remain a game, with the opponent being a participant in this game, not an enemy. Thus, nobody shall use expressions connected with war. Nobody shall call for the “destruction, killing, or shooting”. Everybody shall strive to achieve a fair, tolerant victory, without using terms such as killing, annihilating the opponent. Sport is not war.

The media must make use of their tremendous influence on society to lead the way and ban war-like language from sport.

Aware of the need to fully respect the independence and autonomy of the media, we want to insist not to leave any space for the spread of violent ideas, but to emphasise the inherent values of fairness, tolerance and respect in sport. And in case war-like language is used, then only in the sense of condemning it. The press has an educational value, including TV and all other media. These bodies have a major role to play in guiding society toward the right values. Sport is not war.

Supporters must continue to be proud of their teams, clubs and preferred athletes, without offending the opponent.

Without an opponent, there is no match, no game, no competition. Supporters must recognise that the opponent merits at least as much respect and attention as the favourite athlete or team. It is also their role to ban aggression, war-like atmosphere, and hatred from stadiums and sports fields. Sport is not war.

Thus, in a joint effort by all of us, let’s make sport a place for joy, fun, understanding, tolerance and fairness – and do not allow aggression, war and hatred to enter the sports fields and stadiums. This is not respectful towards sport and even less so towards the victims of the numerous wars and conflicts around the world.

The 11th General Assembly

September 24, 2005 / Vilnius , Lithuania

Fair Play – a Model for Society

The 11TH EUROPEAN FAIR PLAY CONGRESS

– Recognises that sport is a reflection of society. Sport, like many aspects of society, encompasses simultaneously some of the worst human traits, including violence, corruption, discrimination, hooliganism, cheating and drug abuse.

– Emphasises the importance of FAIR PLAY behaviour as a way of helping people to understand the meaning of positive and fair attitudes not only in the success of their sports, but also for harmony, tolerance and justice in society.

The CONGRESS

– Having discussed the application of FAIR PLAY in a modern westernised society, both in its national and international significance;

– Having heard different points of view of evaluations over the interaction of the FAIR PLAY movement and society, society and FAIR PLAY movement;

– Having realised that the modern world needs a more courageous approach towards FAIR PLAY principles in the behaviour of different strata of society;

– Is confident that sport offers a vast potential for society as a ground for mutual understanding, as a workshop for socialisation and integration, as a school for democracy;

– Believes that one of the most basic guarantees of FAIR PLAY in society is to ensure that as many people as possible are involved in sports activities within a sound ethical framework;

– Considers that the use of FAIR PLAY principles as an area of global ethics shall be understood in the near future as a component of the utmost importance in the various areas of daily life.

The CONGRESS adopts the following principles for the future

1. To promote the continuing development of the FAIR PLAY principles at all levels of national and international sports activities;
2. To expand further links with the media in the promotion of FAIR PLAY activities;
3. To aim for a ‘paradigm of ethics’ among sports organisations at national and international level in order to enable the spirit of Olympism and FAIR PLAY on society.

The 12th General Assembly

September /30.2006 Udine/ ITALY

FairPlay in Practice: Concepts,Projects and campaigns

The 12th European Fair Play Congress taking into consideration

1. that the sports community at all levels across Europe is concerned about the ever greater loss of ethical values and is experiencing ever increasing pressure and the exertion of ever greater influence on the part of particular profit oriented entities which lead to patterns of behaviour in sport aimed at winning whatever the cost may be,
2. that the visible consequences of these shifts towards unfair sporting behaviour are doping, cheating, manipulated gambling and other immoral actions by people, regardless of age, gender and sporting discipline,
3. that the need for the European sports movement and sports community at all levels to react more decisively to the continuing loss of moral standards of conduct in sport by reinstalling the standards of fair sporting activity and by further reinforcing human values of conduct under traditional and new codes of applied ethics, and the relevant projects, preventative and educational programmes for young people and the sports and ethics development programmes introduced by the participants of the 12th EFPM Congress in their speeches,

C a l l s

on all sports, youth, educational and business institutions, governmental and non-governmental bodies, including, in particular, all those dealing with Olympic matters, plus the mass media and the many informal supporters of sports as a whole to become aware of our concern about the decline of moral standards in sport.

We, the institutional and non-institutional members of the European Fair Play Movement, must act in a concerted campaign together with the various aforementioned sports institutions in Europe to initiate change from the present society of individuality to a new society of teambuilding. A society that draws examples from the spirit of teamwork in sport will encounter values like mutual respect, tolerance, acceptance, unselfishness, trust, solidarity and dignity as a kind of a new combination of competition in sport that will also reshape our common mission of Fair Play.

30 / September / 2006

Udine / Italy

The 13th General Assembly

October 21/2007 Frankfurt( Germany)

Olympic Values and the Future of Sport

.‘’Bearing in mind

l its particular responsibilities for promoting the values and principles of Fair Play in all sports activities and in everyday life, throughout Europe,

l the Declarations adopted at the 12 previous EFPM Congresses, and taking into account l that racism, xenophobia and intolerance constitute a serious threat to sport and its ethical values,

l as well as the increasing number of regrettable incidents registered in a whole range of sports over the past year involving doping and other forms of manipulation, aggression and violence (verbal and physical), and corruption,

The EFPM calls on l politicians to understand that sport can only have a truly promising future if democratic and transparent procedures are implemented that are based on the Olympic values of humanism, non-discrimination, universality, solidarity and on an alliance between sport, education and culture.

l entrepreneurs to incorporate the Olympic values in a Code of Ethics for Business to serve as an effective tool in the fight against corruption. This cooperation between the business world and the sports world – sponsoring, promotion, marketing and public relations, etc. – can be exceptionally fruitful for both sides and enables both to look forward full of hope to a future of clean and fair competition in both fields.

l judges and lawyers not to hesitate in using the legislation that is available to them as a tool for preventing or punishing abuse and misconduct of all kinds, without discrimination and selectivity, by applying transparent and fair procedures. In such cases, both the athletes and those directly responsible for their acts and behaviour must be punished. Systematic, long-term education programmes and measures should accompany the implementation of the law. l teachers, scholars and artists to follow their deepest principles in order to promote the values of life and society, and to combine Olympic education with a holistic approach to culture education, to apply the Olympic ideals that represent the human, social and moral dimension of sport as the fundamental aims and objectives of education programmes and of club-based youth sports programmes, to develop new physical education, teacher training and coaching education programmes, and to promote morals and ethics in line with the principles and values of Olympic Education.

l journalists and the mass media to play the vital role that they have by using the full potential of sport to create a more humane society and a peaceful world, to communicate and disseminate the values of fair play and tolerance in sporting life by focusing on the positive aspects of sport, by showcasing examples of fair play, by not using highly emotive language (“war and hate speech”), and by avoiding sensationalism or exaggerated examples of intolerant behaviour, and by highlighting the dangers of indifference towards the rise of prejudice, bigotry, fanaticism and ideologies.

l sportsmen and women (athletes, coaches, sports administrators, referees, managers, etc.) who stand at the core of sport to understand that they are the real ambassadors of sports values, that they act as role models for society, and particularly young people, and to communicate the basic and crucial values of sport, and so to contribute importantly to a culture of respect for others and of personal responsibility towards social harmony and peaceful coexistence.

l governmental, non-governmental and intergovernmental European sports and education organisations to build and strengthen cooperation in implementing a concerted plan of action that aims to promote the values and principles of fair play in sport and in everyday life across a broader basis, throughout Europe.

The 14th General Assembly

3 October 2008 Nicosia (Cyprus)

‘Violence and Racism: a challenge to the sporting community’

Beyond Rhetoric

In keeping with the 2007 Frankfurt Declaration, the European Fair Play Movement reaffirms its commitment to promote the principle of Fair Play at every level of sport, from grass-roots participation to the highest levels of education, regulation and governance.

While recognizing that in the last decades there has been considerable progress made in the struggle to eradicate violence and racism from European sport, there is no room for complacency as both separately and together violence and racism continue to have the potential to blight sport wherever it is played and watched.

The Fair Play principles relating to violence and racism in sport have been clearly articulated by this organization and others. It is time to move beyond the rhetoric and call for action.

Building upon the good practical work already being done by sport governing bodies and government and voluntary organizations throughout Europe, the EFPM calls for a multi-faceted campaign of action:

• To educate the sporting public to be intolerant of violence and racism in whatever shape or form;
• To build into sport transparent systems of regulation and legislation;
• To introduce systematic and effective forms of deterrence;
• To institute just and effective forms of punishment for those found guilty of bringing violence and racism into the world of sport;
• To combat violence and racism in sport, mutual respect and social inclusion must be emphasized in physical education and through youth sports, including the development and enforcement of effective policies and strategies for safe, inclusive and tolerant sport for all;
• To support the activities and celebrate the achievements of those individuals and organizations who work so hard to eliminate the twin evils of racism and violence from European sport.

The 15th General Assembly

14 October 2009 Baku (azerbaijan)

Fair Play in the service of inter-cultural dialogue

In reaffirming the principles and intentions of the previous General Assemblies, the European Fair Play Movement calls attention to the need for all sports organisations and institutions, to recognise that Fair Play is defined by equal access and opportunity for all citizens; and the power of sport in promoting inter-cultural and international understanding.

This requires that everyone in sport, from grass-roots to international elite sport – whether participant, competitor, official, coach, teacher or administrator – is accountable for his or her own practice. Everyone can contribute to fairer sport and everyone can challenge practices which undermine access for all.

The Congress commends the many successful programmes which embrace groups of people who have hitherto been excluded from sport; and acknowledges that there is increasing support for sport schemes which encourage reconciliation, integration and international relations.

The EFPM calls upon governments to recognise the benefits of investment in sport as a means of promoting inter-cultural and international understanding and reconstruction.

The EFPM calls upon sport governing bodies:

• To review their own regulations and practices, in order that they can fully realise their particular opportunities and responsibilities as sport institutions, in ensuring inclusive sport;
• To lead education programmes for participants, competitors, coaches, teachers and administrators, which are based on the common principles of fairness and inclusion;
• To engage actively with the education system, to promote the values of Fair Play among children and young people through physical education and school sport.

Adopted in

Baku, October 17th, 2009

The 16 th General Assembly

29 October 2010 Prague (Czech Republıc)

Fair Play Education in Schools: A Shared Responsibility

Representatives from 25 members of the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) and 120 participants attended the 16th European Fair Play Congress held in Prague from 27 to 29 October 2010 on the topic of “Fair Play Education in Schools: A Shared Responsibility”.

Bearing in mind

• EFPM’s particular responsibilities for promoting the values and principles of Fair Play in all sports activities and in everyday life, throughout Europe,

• the Declarations adopted at the 15 previous European Fair Play Congresses, and taking into account

• the educational values in schools

• the Fair Play apprehension by scholars

• the positive initiatives against racism and ethnic discrimination and

• the influence of the current sports negative symptoms on the Fair Play educational process the EFPM calls on

• the National Governmental Educational Organizations to introduce Olympic Education as a subject of the School curricula or in a cross-curricula perspective.

• the Universities and the Faculties of Sports Science and Physical Education to consider

– the Chair of “Ethics in Sport” as of the utmost importance in the Physical Education and Sports Science field.

– that a module of value education in PE and school sports should become compulsory in the PE teachers education.

– focusing a part of their research and educational capacities on current issues concerning Olympism and Fair Play, in cooperation with the National Olympic Studies Centres.

– that the results of research activities in Olympism and Fair Play should be subsequently a predicate of education programmes and systematically developed in University concepts of Olympic and Fair Play education programmes.

• the European and National Olympic Committees to

– create and develop specific programmes, aiming to disseminate the Fair Play values and principles, especially among young sports participants

– publish specific bibliography addressed to young sports

participants, youth sports coaches, parents and sports officials, managers, sponsors, mass media and sports journalists.

– support systematically the university research programmes focused on Olympism and Fair Play principles.

– create Centres of Olympic Education where groups of students from schools, educational institutions and sport clubs are to be invited to attend relevant courses and lectures.

– invite Fair Play Clubs to organise workshops for youth, parents and teachers, coaches focused on FP values and education, using the available publications on these.

• the European Fair Play Movement to propose and coordinate research projects or expert studies which will deal with how the Fair Play principles and attitudes are perceived and educated in the real behavior in sport and outside sport environment, in gender and age perspectives.

• the National Olympic Committees to

– finance and publish Olympic textbooks for children and youth, in cooperation with the National Governmental Educational Organisations and – support systems of Olympic Education with a special sub-chapter focusing on Fair Play.

• the National Sports Federations to include in the coaches educational programmes a special subject dealing with “Ethics in Sport”, in the scope of the area of Sport Education”.

• the Municipalities to support and develop initiatives and programmes mainly addressed to the primary schools and to community sports clubs, aiming to create a climate of cooperation and mutual understanding among all participants.

• the National Sports and Tourism Museums to organise expositions, films projections and meetings with young people on Fair Play and Olympic topics.

• the Sport Media to create special Olympic editions focusing on various topics such as Fair Play in sports, celebrations of Olympic anniversaries, etc.

Prague,

30 October 2010

The 17th General Assembly

28-29 September 2011 Porec – Croatia

Sport as a part of culture-Fair Play as a part of sport culture

Representatives from 27 members of the european fair play movement (EFPM) and 140 participants attended the 17th EFPM congress held in porec croatia from 28-29 September 2011 on the topic of “Sport as a part of culture – Fair Play as a part of sport culture”.

Bearing in mind:

• EFPM’s particular responsibilities for promoting the values and principles of Fiar Play in all sports activities and in everyday life throughout Europe,

• The declarations adopted at the 16 previous EFP Congresses, and taking into account:

• The media and the violence in sport

• The sport as an agent of moral change and transfer

• The fair play and the supporters behaviour , and

• The ethical conduct of the sport coaches

The EFPM calls on

1. The european national olympic committees to include fair play as a part of sport culture by

a) Considering proper ways of promoting Fair Play through the various sports and

b) İnvolving top level athletes in this promotion produres (e.g. to communicate their personal experiences and their trust in the basic values of sport)

2. The UEPS and other european mass media organizations to strengthen their cooperation with EFPM in order to provoke unacceptable behaviours of athletes, coaches, sport officials and spectators and to fight against the violence and the corruption in sport.

3. The educational institutions and the academic society to cooperate with EFPM in order to reinforce and widespread the teaching of fair play ethical values by making a better use of their educational .ypotential and by publising national handbooks and scientific papers about the role of sports as an agent of moral change and transfer.

4. the national governmental and non govermental organizations to cooperate with EFPM towards

a) the recognition of the role of fair play in sports and everyday life;

b) the strengthening of ethical conduct of the sport coaches by issuing an ethic code for coaches in accordance with given european practices;

c) the investigation of realistic methods to conduct the spectators behaviour in the framework of fair play values .

5. the EFPM Members to develop an action plan for the years 2011-2012 defining the activities to be carried out following their prorities and needs on national level and in accordance with the fair play principles as discussed in this Congress.

The 18th General Assembly

24-26 October 2012 Verona– Italy

* Professional sports and Fair Play

The XVIII European Fair Play Congress held in Verona, on October 24-26, and attended by representatives from 25 European national Fair Play organisations and 120 participants, discussed the topic “Professional sports and Fair Play”.

Bearing in mind:
• the EFPM’s responsibilities on the promotion of the values and principles of Fair Play in all sport activities, since the grassroots till the top level sport
• that sport offers a vast potential to society as a ground for intercultural encounters and understanding, as a workshop for socialisation and integration
• the important responsibility borne by well-known teams and professional sports stars as role-models, especially for the young people
• that as top level sport becomes ever commercialised, market forces tend to subvert the central principles that underline a good and fair competition and replace it with a quest for what sells and pursuit of success at any cost, representing a threat to sport’s integrity
• the recognition that the top level sport has the huge potential to play a positive role in society as a showcase for excellence, achievement and commitment, but that it can only play this positive social role, if it operates within boundaries of sound ethics
• that to be a sport professional does not mean to take profit in any way, but the fulfilling of a work or a project, about respecting the rules, the law and the human dignity
• that the present economic crisis in Europe is not only a monetary one, but also an ethical one
• the discussions held on the topic, during the Congress and the inherent projects, programmes and suggestions expressed by the participants.

The EFPM calls on:
• the Council of Europe and European Union, to establish a continuous policy dialogue on such issues that acquired a global dimension such as: bribery and corruption, trafficking in underage players and players from developing countries, fight against doping, illegal betting, money-laundering through sport
• to support transnational networks focusing on repressive and preventing measures on the above mentioned issues
• the Governments, to use their means of investigation and repression necessary to avoid or to clarify eventual cases and to prosecute the offenders responsible for match-fixing, considering that these are often people outside the scope of the sport organisations
• to support all the activities launched by the sport movement aimed at fighting against racism, xenophobia and related intolerance in sport
• to work in a close cooperation with the respective national sport movement in the development of projects and campaigns aimed at the implementation of the Fair Play values and principles in all sport activities since the grassroots up to the professional sport, as well as in life in society.
• to cooperate with the sports betting operators on defining the regulatory framework of the sports betting market and taking concrete measures on the fighting against illegal betting operators
• the sports movement, to run the professional sport based on the preservation of the human dignity of all the involved ones; on the respect of the ethical values and consequent rejection of the exploitation of man by man.
• to take all available measures to fight against all kind of dangers associated to an excessive sport commercialisation
• to implement specific programmes and, or, projects aimed at the development of the Olympic values
• the inter-Governmental sports organisations, the European national governments and the European Sport Movement, to establish a closer cooperation, working in partnership, aiming for a real improvement in the European sports transparency and all profiting of a sharing of tasks.

The EFPM is fully available to pay its contribution to the fulfilment of this goal!

Verona, October 27th, 2012

The 19th GENERAL ASSEMBLEY 

04-09 JUNE 2013 ISTANBUL – TURKEY

‘’THE OLYMPIC AND THE PARALYMPIC MOVEMENT AN

ALLIANCE FOR FAIR PLAY’’

Istanbul, Turkey, 4-9 June 2013

‘The Olympic and Paralympic Movement: An Alliance for Fair Play’

Representatives from 23 Members of the European Fair Play Movement, plus 58 other participants, attended the 19th European Fair Play Congress held in Istanbul from 4th to 9th June 2013. The topic for the Congress was ‘The Olympic and Paralympic Movement: An Alliance for Fair Play’.

Bearing in mind:

– that Fair Play is a most desirable attitude for athletes, coaches and managers not only in sporting activities but also in everyday life;

– that Fair Play must be visibly observed in every area related to the Olympics and Paralympics;

– that Fair Play is the principle underlying high quality of life;

– that as increasing numbers of disabled people are now seeing sport as an essential part of their lives, these people must be encouraged to take part in sport and must be given the opportunity to take part in whichever sports they wish;

– that we are engaged in the struggle against doping, violence, cheating, discrimination and racism;

– that we are committed to protecting the health of athletes and to the eradication of doping;

– that we are playing an active role in efforts to combat drug-taking and to explain the dangers involved to athletes;

– that it is our intention to plan new projects and laws designed to combat violence;

– that we believe relations between everyone involved in sport at all levels should be open and friendly – in particular, relations between fans of different teams;

– that we believe equal opportunities for men and women in sport should be guaranteed and safeguarded;

– that we believe coaches and all others working directly with young people in sport should be given an education in Fair Play;

– that we believe an education in Fair Play should be given in primary schools, high schools, universities, sports clubs and sports federations, and also in the armed forces;

– that we need to adapt our message to the needs of younger age groups, and to prepare visuals that will enable younger children to better understand and absorb the spirit of Fair Play;

– that we need to encourage the media to publicise actions taken in the spirit of Fair Play, and to avoid making unfair comments;

It is our belief that in order to achieve all these goals, we need, as a necessary first step, to further enhance our co-operation with sports organisations throughout Europe so that our message can be more widely heard and understood.

20^th EUROPEAN FAIR PLAY CONGRESS

EFPM Declaration

Riga, 2014

The XX European Fair Play Congress held in Riga, on October 09 -11, 2014 and attended by representatives from 25 European national Fair Play organisations and 120 participants, discussed the topic “Fair Play values – the bridge between sports and culture in Europe without discriminations”.

• Mindful of the social role of the sport activities ensuring respect of the rules, providing everyone with an equal chance of taking part, reflecting the concepts of friendship, respect for others and sportsmanship;
• Recognizing the need of fair treatment of athletes with disabilities and the role of the Paralympic Movement in ensuring it for enabling access to the sports facilities to promoting participation and achieving great sporting success;
• Being aware of the role that mass media play in the formation of the opinion and behaviour of the general public benefits of physical activities, promoting high level sports as well as the special responsibility of media when reporting on sensitive issues as doping, violence and/or mach fixing;
• Admitting the impact which sport infrastructure pose to the environment, from simple football field to motor and aviation sports facilities, which requires careful planning and assessment of needs, especially with regards to major sports events;
• Recalling the threats to the sport by corrupted practices that lead to adoption of the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions, and the scope of the commitments that governments will agree to implement by ratifying it;
• Concerned that fairness must be ensured in sports labour market by recognizing athletes dual career in sports;
• Supporting promotion of Fair Play concept by different target groups, especially youngsters
• Thanking the Latvian authorities for the organization of this Conference and for their kind hospitality during it

the participants of the 20th European Fair Play Congress in Riga, Latvia agreed on the following statements and invite: EFPM calls on:

• the Governments and other public authorities responsible for sport,
• when deciding on sport policy, to examine whether Fair Play principles had been adhered to;
• to pay special attention to effective planning of the sports infrastructure so that all groups of people have access to them;
• to ensure that top level athletes would have conditions for securing their future by ensuring a strong education or vocational background.
• to improve the implementation of the formal curicula and out – of – school physical education activities, with a view to acquaint the pupils with the principles of Fair Play.
• to ensure that rules and their implementation are in compliance with Fair Play and Good Governance democratic principles directed against manipulation of results, violence and use of doping;
• to actively promote Fair Play concepts by using top level athletes as role models for forming public opinion and especially the young generation.
• Mass Media
• to recognize their role in providing accurate and positive information to maintain, promote and develop ethical values of sport.

• Formal and non-formal education institutions

• National and International Sports Federations, National Olympic and Paralympic Committees

The EFPM is fully available to pay its contribution to the fulfilment of this goal!

Riga, October 11^th, 2014

21 th  EUROPEAN FAIR PLAY CONGRESS

EFPM Declaration

Baku, 2015

The XXI European Fair Play Congress held in Baku, on October 07 – 11, and attended by representatives from 25 European national Fair Play Organizations, discussed the topic “Fair Play in Compettive Sports – Making it Real or just an Ideal?”.

Bearing in mind

• The importance of effective governance to ensure transparency, and honesty in order to ensure fair play is secure within sports organizations
• The importance of informed, and ethical values based education for young people in order to cultivate fair play for the future, and prosper them all
• The need to ensure young people take part in a safe secure environment
• that much effort, passion and work is taking place to promote fair play in sport in many fields, particularly in education, but this would be more effective if coordinated better at national level
• the EFPM’s responsibilities on the promotion of the values and principles of Fair Play in all sport activities, since the grassroots till the top level sport
• the important responsibility borne by well-known teams and professional sports stars as role-models, especially for the young people
• that as top level sport becomes ever commercialised, market forces tend to subvert the central principles that underline a good and fair competition and replace it with a quest for what sells and pursuit of success at any cost, representing a threat to sport’s integrity
• that the present economic crisis in Europe is not only a monetary one, but also an ethical one
• the discussions held on the topic, during the Congress and the inherent projects, programmes and suggestions expressed by the participants.

The EFPM calls on our members, partners and all sports organizations to invest in the above mentioned themes. To make this practical and deliverable we ask the following:

1. That EFPM signs up to the Sport and Recreation Alliance – Voluntary Code of Good Governance, and asks all partners, affiliated members, and all sports organizations to strive to implement Good Governance. The Code of Good Governance includes the following seven core-principles:

• Integrity: Acting as guardians of the sport, recreation, activity or area.
• Defining and evaluating the role of the board.
• Delivery of vision, mission and purpose.
• Objectivity: Balanced, inclusive and skilled board.
• Standards, systems and controls.
• Accountability and transparency.
• Understanding and engaging with the sporting landscape.
2. That EFPM becomes a signatory to the Safe Sport International (SSI) Declaration of Principles, and supports the International Safeguards for Children in Sport, and requests all partners and affiliated members to do the same.
3. Ask that the key European Agencies and National Fair Play Committees, promote values based fair play through a coordinated plan.

Baku, October 11th, 2015