EVENT
ENGSO EWS presents SPORT4CERV at the European Sport Congress 2025 in Lille
On 4–5 November 2025, ENGSO Equality Within Sport (EWS) Vice Chair Sarah Townsend represented the organisation at the second edition of the European Sport Congress (EUSC) in Lille, France, where she presented ENGSO SPORT4CERV – Sport Equality Programme to an international audience of sport professionals and researchers.
Now reaching its conclusion after four years of impactful work, SPORT4CERV has focused on advancing equality in sport through diverse learning formats, including research studies, learning papers, online and in-person seminars. The programme has successfully engaged stakeholders and communities across Europe, fostering shared understanding and promoting inclusive practices. One of the final events will be an online seminar on 25 November 2025.
The European Sport Congress (EUSC) is an international event dedicated to exploring the European perspective of sport, with a focus on the design and implementation of innovative projects, the internationalisation of sport institutions, and the mobility of their staff. Conceived as a dynamic meeting point for institutions, researchers, and athletes, the Congress provides a valuable platform to exchange ideas, present projects, and foster meaningful synergies within the European sport ecosystem.
The opening ceremony featured welcoming words from Ms. Maude Caucheteux, Mr. Jean Arthuis, Mrs. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, and Dr. Marcos López Flores, before launching into a packed two-day programme.
The first day offered a diverse mix of keynote speeches, rapid “communication” sessions—8-minute presentations highlighting a range of EU-funded projects—interactive labs, and concluded with a round table discussion on the legacy of Paris 2024. A keynote on “Athletes in Entrepreneurship” set an inspiring tone for the day, emphasising the value of innovation and leadership within and beyond the sporting arena.
Day two opened with a thought-provoking keynote on Human Rights and Sport, delivered by Dr. Daniels Heerdt. This was followed by another round of project communications, where Sarah Townsend presented ENGSO SPORT4CERV – Sport Equality Programme.
The Congress’s final afternoon featured a series of labs and a round table discussion with partners from the Erasmus+ COVE project “STARS”, highlighting collaborative innovation in vocational education for sport. The event concluded with an awards ceremony celebrating outstanding contributions and innovative projects presented throughout the programme—followed by a gala dinner, providing a fitting close to two days of rich exchange and inspiration.
All the resources produced by Sport4CERV are available on the Equality page of ENGSO Education.
Also present at the EU Sport Congress, were Yekaterina Pozdnyakova (ENGSO projects assistant), André Urban (OPES), Kateryna Lavryk (ENGSO Youth Young Delegate) and Christian Hajj (ENGSO Youth Alumbi club member).