The complete Study on the “Development of Amateur Sport Based on Sustainability Criteria,” conducted by the Department of Sports Organization and Management of the University of Peloponnese, was presented today to the Deputy Minister, Yannis Vroutsis, by the department’s presiding officer and scientific director of the project, Professor Georgios Kyprαios, and members of the Study’s editorial team.

This marks the completion of the relevant program agreement signed exactly six months earlier, on January 18, 2024, between the Ministry of Sports and the University of Peloponnese.

The purpose of the Study is to define, assess, and support amateur sport with a view to sustainable and equitable development.

Mr. Vroutsis’s statement on this innovative collaboration between the Ministry of Sports and the University of Peloponnese was characteristic: “Together with our valuable partners, the country’s public higher education institutions, we are moving forward with the establishment of a new, modern, and flexible framework for Sport. We are laying the foundation for a steady partnership for a new beginning through bold reforms.”

The Study will be presented in detail to the public at a special event to be organized by the Department of Sports Organization and Management of the University of Peloponnese next October, at the University’s facilities, in the presence of the entire editorial research team, the Department’s students, representatives of local authorities, sports Federations, clubs, athletes, and members of the broader sports community.

The Study’s key objectives are:

• Increasing sports participation among all citizens without exclusion,
• Supporting athletes’ competitive progress toward achieving distinction, and
• Facilitating the operation of sports clubs.

The means of achieving these objectives include streamlining core operational procedures, improving the financial management of sports clubs, achieving greater outward engagement, and adapting sports legislation in line with scientific findings.

The most important findings included in the comprehensive Study, now available to sports policy leadership for shaping policies on the sustainable development of amateur sport, are as follows:

Sports clubs — the backbone of Greek sport — face operational and sustainability challenges, including:

• issues of structure, organization, and development,
• difficulty securing financial resources,
• growing demands for quality sports facilities and services, and
• reduced volunteer engagement, among others.

These are issues that, according to the study’s findings, hinder the sustainability of amateur sport, particularly for smaller and less financially robust clubs.

The management of sports clubs in Greece urgently requires the streamlining and simplification of the procedures for their establishment and operation.

The evaluation of sports clubs should be based on the following criteria:

• the club’s size-related characteristics (size, structure, distinctions, and duration of operation),
• its developmental activity at fundamental levels (competitive divisions, academies, sport-learning programs, etc.),
• competitive achievements (national and international championships and competitions across all categories),
• training and educational activities to keep knowledge up to date,
• financial governance elements ensuring transparency and an accurate assessment of financial standing,
• the club’s compliance with procedures required by the Ministry (updating of statutes, sports recognition, electronic registry, evaluation), and
• its demonstrable social footprint, reflecting the club’s social standing and contribution to the local community.

In addition, according to the Study’s conclusions, the establishment of an “Inspection and Evaluation Committee” of experts, appointed by the Minister responsible for Sport, is required.

The merger or even dissolution of sports clubs for the sake of sustainability is a major issue that occupied the researchers.

It is noted that, according to the Study’s authors, responsibility for the planning and implementation of projects concerning sports infrastructure should not rest solely with local authorities, and should be accompanied by:

• a strategic sports development plan with a five-year horizon,
• a needs-assessment study of the local community,
• predetermined criteria for selecting the appropriate strategy for the proposed sports facility, and
• proposals regarding the facility’s potential to attract sporting events and competitions.

The Study places particular emphasis on the urgent need to draw up a long-term plan for the construction of new sports facilities and the creation of sports spaces for people with disabilities.

Furthermore, it is emphasized that redesigning citizens’ participation in sports clubs should be an immediate priority, with the ultimate goals of:

• ensuring that citizens enjoy quality, certified sports services, and
• ensuring that the competitive process is effectively supported, helping Greek athletes achieve distinction on the international sporting stage.

The Study provides a detailed account of the direction sports clubs and federations should take, as well as the criteria that should guide the management of sports facilities nationwide. It further addresses how the State can intervene to improve conditions across amateur sport as a whole, and proposes relevant amendments to existing provisions of the Sports Law.

In addition to Mr. Kyprαios, the meeting was also attended by Department professors Giannis Douvis, Thanasis Strigkas, Ourania Vrontou, and Krinanthi Gdontelli, along with the Department’s legal advisor (Ε.Ε.Π.), Giannis Anagnostopoulos.

• Promote research and education in the fields of sport, sports organizations, and sports businesses in Greece, taking into account international developments and challenges.
• Promote a deeper understanding of the role of professionalism and commercialization in sport within the Greek and European economy/society.
• Encourage the exchange of research findings, practical experience, and ideas through round tables and other academic gatherings.
• Support the development of international research collaborations with sports organizations.
• Disseminate research results through official bodies and channels.

We would therefore like to warmly invite you to participate in the conference, where we will bridge the fields of sport, tourism, and recreation management. The theme of the conference, combined with the academic and cultural setting of the city of Sparta, provides an ideal environment for stimulating discussion, fostering networking, and generating new ideas for collaboration.

We look forward to seeing you in Sparta this March.

Sincerely,

Georgios Kyprαios, Professor
Chair of the Organizing Committee
Dean of the School of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences

Click here for the conference proceedings.