An important factor affecting sports development in India has been a longstanding issue with deploying policy initiatives introduced as early as 2001. Consequently, this paper explores policies implemented in India till today, highlighting two main issues; inadequate consideration of certain aspects of policy formulation and lack of effective implementation. Policy transfer is then explored as an option to overcome formulation issues of lack of feasibility, financial assistance and knowledge. The success of policy transfer (both external and internal) would, however, depend on how effectively India manages to implement the policies. India can formulate the best policies but, if they are not implemented effectively, the return might remain low. Consequently, we highlight the need for India to prioritise effective policy implementation whilst considering policy transfer as an option to overcome formulation issues.
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Local governments, traditionally an important partner of voluntary sport clubs in the Netherlands, are increasingly influencing clubs into involvement in social projects and activities. Although it is not clear what contribution sports clubs can play in this social policy agenda, or whether this agenda carries dangers of undermining the nature and strengths of these clubs (Coalter, 2007), more and more clubs in the Netherlands try to adapt to these demands. Sport clubs are no simple implementers of local social policy, they need autonomy to translate social activities to the local context and specific characteristics of the club to be successful (Skille, 2008). The aim of this study is to gain insight in the opinions of sport club members towards this upcoming social responsibility.
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The Sport Empowers Disabled Youth 2 (SEDY2) project encourages inclusion and equal opportunities in sport for youth with a disability by raising their sports and exercise participation in inclusive settings. It was important to ensure that the authentic views, wishes and feelings of youth with a disability regarding inclusion in sport were attained. Therefore, online focus groups were conducted with youth with a disability, their parents and sport professionals in Finland, Lithuania, Portugal and The Netherlands. During the online EUCAPA 2020 conference the preliminary results of these focus groups were presented.
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This book fills an important gap in the sport governance literature by engaging in critical reflection on the concept of ‘good governance’. It examines the theoretical perspectives that lead to different conceptualisations of governance and, therefore, to different standards for institutional quality. It explores the different practical strategies that have been employed to achieve the implementation of good governance principles. The first part of the book aims to shed light on the complexity and nuances of good governance by examining theoretical perspectives including leadership, value, feminism, culture and systems. The second part of the book has a practical focus, concentrating on reform strategies, from compliance policies and codes of ethics to external reporting and integrity systems. Together, these studies shed important new light on how we define and understand governance, and on the limits and capabilities of different methods for inducing good governance. With higher ethical standards demanded in sport business and management than ever before, this book is important reading for all advanced students and researchers with an interest in sport governance and sport policy, and for all sport industry professionals looking to improve their professional practice.
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During the online International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA) in June 2021 te results of the SEDY2 project were presented. Aim The Erasmus+ Sport Empowers Disabled Youth 2 (SEDY 2) project addresses the topic of encouraging inclusion and equal opportunities in sport. Currently, different terminology about inclusion is being used in different countries, making it difficult to compare findings and to set unilineal goals and targets. In order to tackle the issues that are currently preventing youth with disabilities from participating in sports, the primary purpose of this study is to reach a consensus statement on what inclusive sport truly means. Literature shows that inclusion is a question about individual choice of a sporting activity across a continuum of segregated, integrated and inclusive approaches (Kiuppis, 2018) considered as The inclusion spectrum (Stevenson & Black, 2011). Most of the existing research is not based on the authentic wishes and feelings of children and young people with a disability themselves. Therefore, the main research question is ‘Inclusion in sport: what does it mean in practice?’ Methods To ensure that the authentic views, wishes and feelings regarding inclusion in sport were attained, online focus groups interviews were conducted with children and young people with a disability, their parents and sport professionals in Finland, Lithuania, Portugal and The Netherlands. Data is coded and analysed with Maxqda through the method of thematic content analysis. Results All four countries conducted a focus group with each stakeholder group: children with a disability themselves, their parents and sport professionals. In total 12 focus group interviews were conducted. Preliminary results show that inclusion is about individual needs and wishes and is associated with terms as feeling welcome, taking part, having a choice and equal opportunity. “…it is equal opportunities for all to participate and that, that you are part of like a group and, and that feeling of being part of a group and that you feel welcome.” Focus groups with professionals found that for them inclusion is not the same as inclusion policy. “I think we are talking about the same thing, and we feel the same way, but if we compare that to the inclusion policy or the sports covenant, maybe we are not always talking about the same thing.” All focus groups will be analysed and the results will be presented during the session. Discussion/conclusion Results have been discussed within the SEDY project group with sport organisations, Paralympic Committees and Universities of Applied Sciences to reach internal consensus. In order to tackle the issues that are currently preventing people with disabilities from participating in sports, there is need to reach a broad consensus statement on what inclusive sport truly means. Therefore the next is to discuss the results externally, to reach broad consensus. This can be taken as starting point for actual steps of improvement to include more children with disabilities in sport.
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An increasing share of light sports participants (e.g. self-organised runners) challenge traditional ‘Sport for All’ policy systems to target a more diversified array of people participating in sport and physical activity. The main aim of this article is to analyse whether light sport facilities, as a distinct local level policy intervention, can contribute to the goals of attracting ‘light’ and/or new sports participants with public means. The study is carried out in the context of a particular case of running facilities (i.e. bark running tracks, BRTs) in Flanders. The use of BRTs is investigated by structured face-to-face interviews with runners at the location of the BRT (n = 546; RR = 98.8%). The profile of users of BRTs is elaborated based on users’ characteristics (whether or not one started to run due to the provision of a BRT, the frequency and intensity of using the BRT) in bivariate logistic regression analysis. Next, reasons for using BRTs are investigated. It is concluded that BRTs mainly serve as a facility of the fragmented individualised society by reaching a large share of light sports participants (86%). However, it has the ability to reach runners at different levels, who show different patterns of using BRTs. It is suggested that so-called silent expectations in light facilities may function differently for different types of users. In this view, findings are discussed in order to identify policy implications related to Sport for All. …
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Over the last few decades the power struggle between nations to win medals in major international competitions has intensified. This has led to national sports organisations and governments throughout the world spending increasing sums of money on elite sport. Several nations have indeed shown that accelerated funding in elite sport can lead to an increase of medals won at the Olympics. Nevertheless, in spite of increasing competition and the homogenisation of elite sports systems, the optimum strategy for delivering international success is still unclear. There is no model for comparing, and increasing, the efficiency and effectiveness of elite sport investments and management systems. This makes it difficult for sports managers and policy makers to prioritise and to make the right choices in elite sports policy. This book presents an international comparison of elite sport policies in six nations (Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom). Over 1,400 athletes, coaches and performance directors in these nations have provided information on the climate to perform at the highest level of elite sport in their country. Over a hundred criteria are evaluated and compared using a scoring system in nine sport policy areas. This book is aimed at sports professionals, academics and politicians seeking a better understanding of the factors that lead to international sporting success and seeking insights in future sport policy developments.
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The Sport Empowers Disabled Youth 2 (SEDY2) project encourages inclusion and equal opportunities in sport for youth with a disability by raising their sports and exercise participation in inclusive settings. The SEDY2 Inclusion Handbook is aimed at anybody involved in running or working in a sport club, such as a volunteer, a coach, or a club member. The goal of the handbook is to facilitate disability inclusion among mainstream sport providers by sharing SEDY2 project partners’ best practices and inclusive ideas.
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Er is veel geschreven over de rol van sport in het bevorderen van sociaal, psycho‐ logisch en fysiek welbevinden van mensen. Deze literatuur is echter grotendeels gericht op het sociaal domein en daarbinnen veel op jonge mensen, maar weinig op contexten binnen een justitieel kader, bijvoorbeeld de gevangenis of reclasse‐ ring. De wetenschappelijke aandacht voor de meerwaarde van sport en bewegen voor delinquenten is beperkt. In een lopend onderzoeksproject onderzoeken wij de belangrijkste factoren om sport in te zetten ter bevordering van participatie van mensen in een kwetsbare positie (in detentie, de reclassering en de maatschappelijke opvang). Daarbinnen is een literatuurstudie uitgevoerd naar de meerwaarde van sport en bewegen, specifiek voor delinquenten. Dit betreft dus personen die binnen een justitieel kader sport- en beweegactiviteiten ondernemen of binnen een sportcontext re-integreren (denk bij dat laatste bijvoorbeeld aan vrijwilligerswerk op een sportclub in de laatste fase van detentie). In dit artikel wordt antwoord gegeven op de vraag: wat is in de literatuur bekend over de meerwaarde van sport en bewegen voor het reintegreren van delinquenten?
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The ‘Sport Physical Education and Coaching for Health (SPEACH) project, co-financed by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union (2015-2017) aims to increase awareness and behavioral change in sport professionals and European citizens towards an active and healthy lifestyle. The target is to develop and test Health Enhancing Physical Activities or HEPA modules that can be integrated in Physical Education Training Education structures and Sport Coaching courses. The different steps in this EU project are: (1) needs analyses among students (survey, interviews, focus groups), (2) development of most relevant HEPA modules based on the needs analysis results, (3) teach-the-teacher course (4) testing of 3 selected HEPA modules in a real-life setting with physical education and sport coaching students (n=60, from 8 countries) and teachers (n=12, from 7 countries), (5) sustainability of the project results, coordinated by the European Network of Sport Education (ENSE). The project is in its last phase (step 6). The titles of the three field-tested modules are (a) Development of a family-based HEPA project in the school & sport club context, (b) Promoting health enhancing physical activity among children and youth, and (c) Designing educational sport environments for children with special needs. The presentation will illustrate how the module on family-based HEPA was build up in content and didactical approach. The students were given the task to work out a health promotion project together with local sport clubs, school(s) and other local organizations. The goal of the intervention was to enhance (and maintain) health with children and make sure that parents are aware of possibilities to integrate PA in daily life for their children and themselves. A stepwise approach in small students groups was worked out concentrating on the themes: insight in stakeholders and their role in health promotion, behavior change theories, motivational interviewing and intervention mapping protocol. Advices for implementation on different educational levels (vocational, bachelor and master) and usefulness at national and international educational contexts will be given for the family-based module and for the project in general. Acknowledgements: this project is co-finance by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, 557083-EPP-1-2014-1-NL-SPO-SCP) Keywords: health policy, family-based intervention, school and sport club context, teacher training, sport coaching courses,
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