2025 stands out as a year marked by strong collective momentum for values-based sport, human rights and inclusion. Throughout the year, sport once again proved its unique capacity to bring people together, address societal challenges and promote well-being across all ages and backgrounds. From advancing equality, inclusion and safeguarding, to reinforcing the European Sports Charter as a living reference for sport policies, EPAS’ work in 2025 reflected the growing role of sport as a driver of cohesion and resilience.
 

Some key events included:

• 12–13 February, Luxembourg/online – The closing event of the European Union - Council of Europe joint project “All In Plus: Promoting Greater Gender Equality in Sport” took place under the Luxembourg Presidency of the Committee of Ministers. Marking the culmination of two years of research and data collection, the event presented a comprehensive analytical report based on data from 21 jurisdictions, assessing gender equality across six key areas, including leadership, participation, coaching and officiating, media representation and the prevention of gender-based violence. Bringing together representatives of the European Commission, the Council of Europe, experts and athletes, the discussions highlighted both progress achieved and persistent structural gaps, and issued a clear call for sustained policy action, investment and co-ordinated efforts to advance gender equality in European sport.
• 7 March, Strasbourg/online – Ahead of International Women’s Day, EPAS held its annual Breakfast Roundtable on women’s health and sport, a topic still largely overlooked in sport policies and practice. The event brought together athletes, medical experts and representatives of sports organisations to discuss practical ways to better integrate women’s and girls’ health into sporting systems. Discussions addressed both physical and mental health issues, including overtraining, eating disorders and menstruation-related challenges. The exchanges highlighted the need for greater awareness, education and evidence-based approaches, and set the ball rolling for the upcoming joint EU - Council of Europe project “Active and Equal: Women’s health in sport across generations”.
• 12 March, Geneva/online – On the sidelines of the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, EPAS organised a side event on “Safe sport as a space for human rights education”. Held within the framework of the “Start to Talk” project, the event highlighted how safe, rights-respecting sport environments can foster children’s human rights education and enjoyment. Co-organised with the Permanent Missions of Luxembourg and Monaco and co-sponsored by several States and UNICEF, the event brought together experts on children’s rights, education and sport to reaffirm the role of safeguarding as a prerequisite for sport to serve as a space free from violence, abuse and discrimination.
• 14-15 May, Strasbourg – The annual joint plenary meetings of the EPAS Governing Board and Consultative Committee provided a key moment to review progress and set strategic directions for the years ahead. Discussions focused on the promotion of the European Sports Charter, the implementation of the 2024-2025 programme of activities, and preparations for major upcoming milestones, including the 2025 Diversity Conference and the 19th Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport. The meetings also addressed good governance in sport, the autonomy of sport, child safeguarding through safer recruitment, and sport in emergency contexts, following a presentation by the Ukrainian delegation.
• 15 May, Strasbourg/online – The European Union and the Council of Europe launched the joint project “Sport For All”, reinforcing their shared commitment to promoting inclusion and combating discrimination against persons with disabilities in sport. Against the backdrop of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games and grounded in the European Sports Charter, the project responds to persistent barriers limiting equal access to sport. Running from March 2025 to August 2026, Sport for All will support sports organisations and grassroots clubs through training, awareness-raising and practical tools, with the aim of fostering safe, accessible and inclusive sport environments and ensuring that sport remains a space of participation for all.
• 21 May, Strasbourg – EPAS contributed to the 2025 edition of the North-South Dialogues, organised with the North-South Centre, focusing on sport as a tool for development and inclusion. Inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Refugee Teams, the exchanges highlighted values-based sport as a driver of education, inclusion and integrity, particularly for migrants and refugees. The discussions underlined the responsibility of sports policies to uphold human rights and to ensure that sport remains a space of dignity, opportunity and participation for all. The Dialogues also marked the launch of the new Human Rights Education for Youth (HEY) course “Towards responsible, safe, inclusive and ethical sport”, developed jointly by the North-South Centre and EPAS. Aimed at young people from Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the course strengthens knowledge of human rights frameworks in sport and builds capacity for responsible and ethical action, reinforcing EPAS’ commitment to youth empowerment and human rights education through sport.
• 19 June, Paris – EPAS convened an inter-institutional meeting, bringing together representatives from UNESCO, WHO, the European Commission, the African Union, the Commonwealth, OECD, UNICEF and UNHCR to strengthen collaboration on global sports policy. Participants exchanged updates on their current priorities and held focused discussions on sport and health, as well as inclusive, safe and ethical sport. The meeting highlighted shared commitments to safeguarding, gender equality, integrity, and improved physical activity systems, and concluded with an agreement to develop a joint calendar of upcoming initiatives and explore co-ordinated actions in policy implementation and capacity-building.
• 1-2 July, Strasbourg – The MARS Network held its 4th annual meeting, strengthening international co-operation among magistrates and prosecutors in the fight against crime in sport. Discussions focused on organised crime, manipulation of competitions, anti-doping and safety at major sporting events, while reinforcing judicial co-operation with law enforcement and sports organisations to protect the integrity of sport.
• 12 September, Strasbourg/online – EPAS advanced its work on sustainable sport policy through the 4th meeting on the Mapping of Sports Facilities, dedicated to social sustainability. The meeting marked the launch of the White Paper on Social Sustainability and Sports Facilities, developed with the Mulier Institute, and anchored in the European Sports Charter and broader European and global sustainability frameworks. By bringing together researchers, policy makers and the sport movement, EPAS reinforced the importance of accessible, inclusive and financially sustainable sports facilities as drivers of social cohesion and healthy communities, while setting clear priorities for future action on equal access to sport infrastructure across Europe.
• 21 October, Strasbourg/online – EPAS held its flagship Diversity Conference under the theme “Sport and Intergenerational Challenges for Young People and Older Persons”, bringing together policy makers, experts, sports organisations and civil society. Against the backdrop of demographic change, the conference explored how sport can bridge generational divides, promote active lifestyles and address challenges such as social isolation, youth disengagement and age-friendly sport environments. Through high-level exchanges and practical examples, the event reaffirmed the role of sport as a powerful tool for solidarity, inclusion and well-being across all generations, with a strong focus on cohesion and long-term societal impact.
• 13-14 November, Paris/online – The Pool of International Experts on Safe Sport held its the 4th annual meeting, with an extended session on the creation of safer environments for children in sports associations. Held in co-operation with the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), the session brought together safeguarding professionals and international experts to exchange on preventing and addressing violence and abuse in sport. A key milestone was the presentation of the Guidelines on Safer Recruitment in Sport, reinforcing human rights-compliant approaches to protecting children. The discussions also contributed to shaping future priorities, notably in view of the 19th Conference of Ministers Responsible for Sport, reaffirming child safeguarding as a central pillar of EPAS’ work.
• 16 December, Paris/online – Building on the discussions launched earlier in the year during the Breakfast Roundtable on women’s health and sport, EPAS closed its 2025 calendar with the 4th edition of the Forum on Sport and Human Rights. The Forum brought together public authorities, sports organisations, experts and athletes to reflect on two pressing human rights concerns: women’s health in sport, and mental health in sport. The discussions brought the year’s work full circle, consolidating key reflections from across EPAS activities and providing a strong concluding moment focused on health, dignity and well-being at the heart of sports policies.
• Throughout 2025, EPAS continued to anchor its work in the European Sports Charter through support and follow-up visits to Ireland (24-25 March) and Greece (25-26 June), reaffirming the Charter’s role as the backbone of values-based sports policies in Europe. In Dublin and Athens, expert teams engaged with ministers, public authorities, sports organisations, Olympic and Paralympic committees, athletes and civil society to assess progress and support the practical implementation of the Charter’s principles. These visits strengthened dialogue, highlighted best practices and identified tailored recommendations, further consolidating the European Sports Charter as a living instrument guiding inclusive, ethical and rights-based sport across member states.
• Sport integrity remained a strong focus for EPAS, notably through ongoing work with the International Partnership against Corruption in Sport (IPACS). EPAS remains a member of the Steering Committee and part of the working groups on good governance and artificial intelligence, and the Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General, spoke at the International Olympic Committee’s IFSI conference. Each European Sports Charter support and follow-up visit now includes an IPACS-focussed session. The Guidelines on Integrity in Sport were adopted at UNESCO’s 10^th Conference of Parties meeting.

None of this would have been possible without the commitment of our partners and stakeholders, whose expertise, engagement and co-operation continue to shape and strengthen our common action. We look forward to building on this momentum together in the year ahead. Our upcoming meetings and events are already scheduled and ready to be marked in your agendas.