24 July 2024 • NEWS
Jeff Puech, co-founder and director of the Foundation for inclusive sport (Fondation pour le sport inclusif) and Ovale Citoyen, discusses the concept of inclusive sport and the challenges it faces today.
What is “inclusive sport” ?
Social inclusion means allowing every citizen, including the most disadvantaged, to fully participate in society, especially by having a job. Sport is essentially one of the components of this social inclusion because it fosters encounters and well-being, both physical and mental. The concept of inclusive sport is simple: enable everyone to practice a sport in the best possible conditions without any discriminatory factors. Inclusive sport, therefore, is not limited to people with disabilities but impacts anyone who can be discriminated against due to their gender, sexuality, social origin, history, place of residence, or any other discriminatory factor.
It’s about offering an environment and practice different from those provided by traditional sports clubs, considering the particularities of target populations while guiding them towards a ‘normalisation’ of the activity.
How do Ovale Citoyen and the Foundation for inclusive sport deploy their initiatives?
With Ovale Citoyen, we work hand in hand with the world of professional sports because it’s a great amplifier for our actions, particularly in fighting discrimination. For example, we are partners with the National Rugby League through the ‘Live Together’ program. This partnership allows us to provide training on fighting homophobia and racism to 30 professional clubs. Another concrete example is the ‘Transform the Try into Apprenticeship’ (TEVA) program, where clubs are engaged in the integration of young people from Priority Urban Areas or migrant backgrounds. These young people have access to sports sessions, tickets to matches, meetings with professionals, and information about apprenticeship job opportunities within the clubs.
With the Foundation for inclusive sport, we launched the “Inclusive Sport Tour”. The aim? To enhance the visibility of physical and sports activities as a major tool in the fight against discrimination, particularly those affecting LGBTQIA+ communities. In consultation with partner Federations, they organise physical and sports activities for the public in advance, as well as awareness-raising operations against discrimination for amateur clubs or leagues in the region.
Ovale Citoyen joined Groupe SOS on November 8, 2022, and Foundation for inclusive sport was created in septembre 2023. What are your ambitions?
Our affiliation with Groupe SOS aims to make inclusive sport a tool for the beneficiaries of this associative group. This partnership seeks to amplify our actions and create a true inclusive sports entity within the Group. All while continuing to develop our relationships with various sports leagues and creating synergies, especially during major sporting events like the Rugby World Cup in 2023 or the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024. We also aim to develop a strong consulting activity for Federations, Leagues, and clubs to make inclusive sport a tool for their development. Inclusive sport should not be a constraint for them but rather an opportunity to attract all audiences to sport.
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