Sports policies of the European Union
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In the European Union, a large diversity of sports are practiced, and many leading athletes and teams belong to the Union's countries.
Contents |
Sports and activities in the EU institutions
A reference to sport is included in the new European Constitution:
«The Union shall contribute to the promotion of European sporting issues, given the social and educational function of sport. (…) Union action shall be aimed at developing the European dimension in sport, by promoting fairness in competitions and cooperation between sporting bodies and by protecting the physical and moral integrity of sportsmen and sportswomen, especially young sportsmen and sportswomen»
Ján Figeľ, from Slovakia, is in charge of sport in the EU, as the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Training and Multilingualism.
2004 was officially the European Year of Education through Sport.
EU and Olympic Games
The Olympic Games, the ancient ones as well the modern ones, were created inside what is now the EU area.
Although in many areas the European Union is increasingly regarded as a player in its own right, as well as or instead of the individual member states, the member states currently compete separately in the Olympics under the jurisdiction of each state's National Olympic Committee (NOC).
EU countries are unlikely to soon compete under one flag at international sporting events. This is due to it being a "union", and not a "federation", proud of the individuality of the independent member states ("United in diversity" is the proposed EU motto).
Comments on 2004 Summer Olympics results
Some have noted that the EU's raw aggregate medal count for 2004 as being considerably higher than that of any individual NOC.
The EU Commission considers that this result gives to this supranational union the leading rank in the Games performance, and demonstrates the quality of athletes in the EU. Comparing the EU's aggregate count to that of any single NOC, though, needs to be done carefully, because athletes and teams qualify for the Olympics on a per-NOC basis. Certainly, simulations that might be made in the future would add to the picture. But at the moment, it can be noted that
- EU states may sweep the medals in men's handball, while such a result would be impossible if only one pan-EU team participated; similarly, Australia may only qualify three swimmers per event no matter how many in its top-class national training programme meet the Olympic qualifying time standard, while the EU can qualify that number of swimmers per country per event (theoretically up to 75; realistically perhaps 20 -- still therefore offering a better medal chance for the EU state swimmers). This applies more to the overal total of medals than to the gold medals which can in general be obtained only by the best athletes or teams.
- Conversely, the EU could put together competitive teams in, for example, Kabaddi where individual states may not. Also, a smaller number of participating athletes, in the hypothesis of a single NOC, is no certainty for many less medals, as there is, as in other fields, a law of decreasing return between the volume of inputs (number of participants) and the volume of outputs (medals obtained).
Enhanced EU cooperation effect on its global sport standing
What is altogether probable is enhanced cooperation in terms of preparation for international competitions. Such EU supported cooperation is already commonplace in a number of other areas, and indeed the proposed EU Constitution names sports as one of the areas for possible "supporting, coordinating or complementary action" at a European level.
With suitable EU programmes, underperforming member states could be aided. Training facilities, trainers and sports specialists could also be pooled among member states. However some people would see such co-operation as an inappropriate interference in matters which should be left to member states.
See also
External links
- EU sport policy
- European Year of Education through Sport 2004
- Idsia - Major powers Olympic medal count
