Greater citizen participation in sport and recreational physical activity benefits not only individuals, but also society as a whole. A well-crafted sports policy must therefore focus on establishing the best-possible conditions to increase participation. This process should start with an inclusive approach that recognises all segments and stakeholders within this broad and diverse sector.

At the recent EU Sport Forum in Kraków, Poland, European Commissioner responsible for sport Glenn Micallef, announced that the EC intends to publish a new communication document in the coming year. According to Micallef, this document will serve as the foundation for future guiding principles in European sports policy. We welcome this initiative.

Although the European Commission lacks the competence to define national sport policies, this new document can potentially serve as valuable inspiration for the improvement of national sports participation frameworks. However, for it to be truly inspirational across the entire sector, a couple of key principles should be embraced.

• It should accurately reflect the current realities of participation in sport and recreational physical activity.
• It must be inclusive, acknowledging all segments within the sports sector and the diversity of the operators and stakeholders involved.

If – as is sometimes the case – the document adopts a narrow model that excludes some segments and sidelines certain providers of citizen-focused activities, its potential to inspire will be significantly weakened. The European Union is built on recognition and respect for diversity. This ethos should underpin any communication that aims to inspire better framework conditions for grassroots sport participation.