EUSA Magazine 2019-20

EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS ASSOCIATION YEAR MAGAZINE 2019-20^76

5. EUSA PROJECTS

SPORTS FOR ALL

EUSA continually pushes for equality, respect and full inclusion

of student athletes with disabilities in sport, while simultaneously

promoting the spirit of fair play at all our events.

Gender

All EUSA’s sporting events
are inclusive of all genders,
something the association is
extremely proud of, yet when
reflecting upon the statistics
of event participants from
the European Universities
Championships 2019,
male participants are still
outnumbering female
participants 59%-41%. Although
this ratio has improved over
the years, EUSA acknowledges
that more needs to be done as
we strive to continue on the
road towards a more balanced
participation of male and female
participants at future events.

Socio-Economic Status

One of the aims of EUSA is
to strengthen and support
its member federations, the
national university sport bodies
in Europe. EUSA links 46
national university sports bodies
across the continent, so the
organisation and conditions of

each of our members are very

diverse. Recognising that not

all EUSA members have the

same funding opportunities,

a development fund was

launched, aiming at developing

and strengthening university

sport throughout Europe. With

the support of the Club of

Donors, we were able to secure

a special development fund for

2019 and were able to assist

EUSA members, primarily those

with little or no participation

in EUSA events over the past

four years. Similar provisions

will be made for participants at

the 2020 European Universities

Games who require financial

assistance.

Disabilities

Since the inclusion of athletes

with disabilities for the first time

at the European Universities

Games 2016, EUSA has

continued to search for ways

to be more inclusive in our

events. Following the inclusion

of Para Table Tennis at the last

European Universities Games in

2018, EUSA has together with

the local organisers included

Para Table Tennis again onto

the schedule for the next edition

of the European Universities

Games in Belgrade, Serbia.

EUSA recognises that European

university sport can still make

vast improvements regarding

the inclusion of all students

into sports, along with everyday

physical activity, and with

the support of the European

Paralympic Committee as our

partner, we believe we will make

continued progress in future.

Fair Play

With the European Fair

Play Movement (EFPM) as

our partner, EUSA strongly

promotes the spirit of fair play

at all our events. Its values

are deeply embedded in EUSA

and we have emphasised the

importance of sportsmanship

and a positive approach to sport

across our 20 years of existence.

EUSA has always awarded

exemplary behaviour on the

sport field and will continue

with the same practice in the

future, with the ultimate goal of

introducing a “Fair Play Card”

into various sports.

The fair play initiative was

strongly encouraged at all

EUSA’s sporting championships

in 2019, and apart from having

positive messages involving fair

play oaths read by athletes and

referees at all sports events,

EUSA also annually attributes

the Enno Harms Fair Play Award

to showcase the noble gestures

present in European university

sport.