After the first installment dedicated to the “Values of sport and their perverse effects” last year, the second edition of the Agora du Sport, organized by the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, focused on “How to live better together through sport?”. To debate four themes, all actors of society were invited. From business leaders and athletes to club managers and elected officials, everyone exchanged views by spontaneously expressing their opinions and sharing their experiences.
At a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to find volunteers under forty years of age, the concept of happiness immediately emerged among the participants’ comments. “Volunteering is primarily a pleasure,” emphasizes Pierre Collomb, Vice President of the French Basketball Federation. “We need to restore a sense of reward for volunteers.” Given the growing weight of responsibilities and burdens on volunteer leaders, it is becoming increasingly necessary to make their tasks easier (such as adjusting work hours in their respective jobs) and to offer partial compensation for their commitment (like accumulating extra retirement points).
A Sports Festival?
Among the proposals put forward, an idea for a sports festival, similar to the Fรชte de la Musique, was mentioned. Social integration was also at the core of the debate. Sport, practiced by many young people, is a factor in this, but according to Philippe Tallois, president of the Agora du Sport, it is not a miracle cure. “Sport can only play an effective role in integration if it is properly guided and supported. It would be good for Physical Education to play a greater role in schools, but the next goal should be to link sports clubs and associations to schools and universities.”
Sharing Equipment and International Recruitment of Athletes
Sports facilities, such as gyms or fields, are essential for both amateur and professional sports. A realization has emerged: the private-public partnership is now essential. It is very difficult to provide halls or other facilities for all and equipped for all sports. With the low revenues of regional sports associations, it is generally the municipalities that manage the equipment used by clubs or school groups.
Those who are not short of money are the major international clubs that recruit vigorously all over the world thanks to Bosman (community players) and Malaga (non-community players) rulings. In recent months, several sports federations have announced plans to establish a quota and limit the presence of foreign athletes, despite the European Union rules on free movement. The Agora calls for the creation of a national ethics committee to manage this new globalization of sports and invites everyone to next year’s event for more equally interesting debates and reflections.
