Presentation of Sport wills (Idrotten vill) Sports movement’s policy program Agreed by the 2009 AGM of the Swedish Sports Confederation

What is Sport wants? Sport wants is a policy program for sport. RF member sports have produced common guidelines for organizing sport in associations and clubs.

Sport wants in your organization Sport takes form at local, club level. The program can help all of us to make Swedish sport world best.

The idea of sport Sport is physical activity that we undertake to enjoy ourselves, to feel good and to get fitter. Sport consists of training and fun, competition and display. Sport promotes physical, psychological, social and cultural development. We organize our sports into independent clubs and associations that together form a voluntary, popular movement under the umbrella of RF.

The idea of sport (cont.) List sports by age and level of ambition. General sports for children up to age 12. Sport for young people from ages 13 to 20. Adult sports for people over 20.

The idea of sport (cont.) In sport for young people and in adult sports we distinguish between sport for all and elite sports. In elite sports, improved performance and success in competition is the guiding principle. In sport for all, health, enjoyment and a sense of wellbeing are normative.

The idea of sport (cont.) We are a united sports movement that… is guided by the same vision and core. seeks to preserve the tradition of the Swedish sports movement with collaboration between elite activities and sport for all. respects the associations and clubs with their different roles and situations in the sports movement.

The idea of sport (cont.) Sport in Sweden recognizes the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Our vision: Swedish sport – world best Swedish sport aspires to be world best at all levels. We aim constantly to improve both as to form and content. Based on a self-governing move- ment with strong associations and clubs and world-class educational programs.

Core values 1. Enjoyment and community Powerful inspiration to do sports. Organize and develop all activities so that we can enjoy them, feel good and get fitter.

Core values 2. Democracy and participation Each member’s vote has same weight. Everyone who takes part in activities has a say in the running and shares responsibility. Gender neutral and irrespective of background.

Core values 3. Everyone has the right to take part Everyone must be able to take part in club sports at their own level, without regard to: nationality ethnic origin religion age gender sexual orientation physical and mental abilities

Core values of the sports movement 4. Fair play fair play and honesty = a necessary condition for competing on equal terms. keeping within the framework. positive ethics and morals. working to eliminate cheating, doping and unhealthy finances. acting against bullying, harassment and violence.

Sport in society A popular movements with active clubs are an indispensable asset in a democratic society. The Swedish sports movement has more than 3 million members and more than voluntary leaders. The largest and most active popular movement in Sweden. The sports movement is built from the base upwards. This base consists of more than independent sports clubs.

Sport for children Sport for children: up to the age of 12. A children’s rights perspective. Try out different sports at a playful level. All-round development is normative. For children, competition is a natural element of sport, as is play.

Sport for young people Young people: from 13 to 20. Differentiation at different levels of ambition. Playfulness and all-round training shall also apply to young people in their early sporting years. Some young people aim to do their sports at an advanced level.

Sport for adults Aged 20 and up Adults have themselves chosen elite sports, fitness sports, or leisure sports Feeling good, enjoyment and performance are basic to all sports

Voluntary leadership Largely dependent on voluntary leaders. > leaders devote 140 million hours to sport as team leaders, elected representatives or club managers.

Voluntary leadership (cont.) Almost all children in Sweden, at some point in their lives, are active in the sports movement. Team leaders have strong possibilities to help young people to develop. Serious demands on the quality of activities and a great responsibility on leaders. Not just “teaching sport” but also communicating core values.

Support for local development Both sport for all and elite sports, rooted at the local level. Clubs all over the country open to all, as well as access to quality sports grounds and facilities makes sport for all a realistic goal.

Support for international development Mattias Claeson 40 år

Research and development The sports movement, with some 3 million members, is strongly rooted in society. Sport is one of our most universal cultural phenomena.

Research and development (cont.) The government should take responsibility for fundamental, long-term research. Funding is in the hands of the Swedish National Centre for Re-search in Sports.

Further information (Swedish texts only) Idrotten vill can be downloaded as a pdf from the RF website – rf.se (under Dokumentbank). It is also available as a printed document from SISU Idrottsutbildarna’s supporting materials can be accessed on their website sisuidrottsutbildarna.se under the heading “Vi arbetar med”; click on “Skapa världens bästa idrott”.