The BeST Inclusion project aims to promote greater inclusion within the sports sector by exchanging knowledge and good practices with experts, researchers, and sports employers. Each partner provides their perspective to enhance inclusivity in the sports sector, contributing to developing best practices and recommendations as needed.

A working group has been established for each topic covered in the project. Initially, the partners were tasked with organizing 3 European roundtables to assess the current state of inclusivity in sports. Then, thanks to the data from national official sources that the partners have gathered during these roundtables, three studies have been conducted on the inclusivity of the European sports sector workforce, each overseen by an academic partner.

These studies aimed to assess the current state of the inclusiveness of the European sports labour market around three axes: gender, age and disabilities. Our three academic partners have each focused on one aspect of the issue:

  • The University of Murcia was in charge of the study about the barriers to a more inclusive workforce for the sports sector in terms of gender;
  • The University of Cassino and Southern Lazio was in charge of the study in terms of age;
  • The UNESCO Chair Munster Technological University  was in charge of the study regarding disabilities.

The sports industry in Europe has expanded significantly over the years to include a variety of fields; as a result, it has emerged as an essential driver of job creation, especially for the younger population. It also plays a vital role in society and the economy, contributing to various aspects such as health, employment, social cohesion, and youth development.

However, some barriers hinder the employment of people with disabilities, regardless of gender or age, within the sport sector. These studies seek to address these issues.

You can find the study on gender by clicking here: Gender study.

You can find the study on age by clicking here: Age study.

You can find the study on disability by clicking here: Disability study.

Thanks to these studies, the project’s next stage is to produce a guide to good practice for the inclusion and diversity of the sports workforce by mid-2024.

Once again, thank you to all the academic partners who have contributed to this project!