More than 30 sport and sport-related associations, including a number of associations on a national level, have agreed on a common position paper entitled „Position paper on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the sport sector”.
In the introduction of the position paper the importance of sport for the economy of the European Union was highlighted (the share of sport in the EU GDP is 279,7 billion euro or 2,12% of the EU GDP) given that the sport sector generates every 47th euro and creates every 37th job in the EU. The rest of the document presents the facts on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sport system and explains the segments and stakeholders that are impacted the most by the current crisis. An action plan to fight the crisis is suggested i.e. the measures to support the sport sector (protection of jobs, tax breaks, loans for clubs to ensure liquidity, stimulation of innovative programmes, establishment of the private and public solidarity fund, creating new funding opportunities on a national level and from the EU funds, etc).
As a member of the European Commission’s SHARE initiative, the Croatian Olympic Committee had a very active role in the initiative. Other signatories are associations such as the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and dozens of other National Olympic Committees, e.g. German, Italian, Belgian, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Czech, Luxembourgish, etc.
In addition, a number of continental sport associations have signed the document, e.g. football (UEFA), basketball (FIBA Europe), handball (EHF), volleyball (CEV), rugby (RUGBY Europe), as well as National Federations such as the German Football Federation (DFB).
For a sustainable public and private sport sector in the Old Continent it is crucial to provide help and support in the context of the European instrument entitled “Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency” (SURE) and other initiatives at national and European level, especially those that are linked directly to the measures mitigating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Original document: Position paper on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the sport sector
Croatian version: Stajalište o utjecaju krize COVID-19 na sportski sektor