EVENTS

ENGSO members gather in Budapest for the 34th ENGSO General Assembly

34th ENGSO General Assembly, hosted by the ENGSO Member Hungarian Competitive Sport Federation (NVESZ), took place on 22-24 May 2026, in Budapest, Hungary.

2026 ENGSO General Assembly Budapest

#ENGSOGA2026 highlights:

 

  • Thomas Bach, Vice President of the Danish National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation (DIF), was elected as a member of the ENGSO Executive Committee.

 

  • The Assembly also approved the admission of a new associate member to the ENGSO network: the Turkish Sports for All Federation.

 

  • In addition, the new Members Development Programme and the EWS Mentoring Programme were presented to participants.

 

  • A special thank you was extended to ENGSO member Hungarian Competitive Sport Federation (NVESZ) for hosting the 34th ENGSO General Assembly at its home base in Budapest, Hungary.

 

  • The event concluded with an invitation to the European Sport Platform 2026, which will take place from 15–17 October 2026 in Split and will be hosted by the Croatian Olympic Committee.

34th ENGSO General Assembly, hosted by the ENGSO Member Hungarian Competitive Sport Federation (NVESZ), on 22-24 May 2026, in Budapest, Hungary, opened with welcoming remarks from Stefan Bergh, President of ENGSO, and Edina Andrejkó, Secretary General of NVESZ. Their opening messages highlighted the importance of cooperation, innovation, and advocacy within the European sports community.

 

ENGSO President Stefan Bergh highlighted ENGSO’s mission to represent, develop, and advocate for voluntary-based sport across Europe and emphasized that “the benefits of grassroots sport extend far beyond the individual. Grassroots sport builds resilient communities, promotes inclusion, strengthens social connections, and encourages healthier lifestyles. By strengthening organised grassroots sport together, we create a strong alliance that fosters the sustainable growth and lasting positive impact of sport throughout Europe.”

 

Edina Andrejkó, Secretary General of NVESZ welcomes ENGSO members to Hungary by highlighting the importance of sport in Hungarian society. She underlines that sport represents far more than competitive results — it is a powerful tool for creating positive social impact, strengthening communities, promoting healthy lifestyles, and inspiring future generations.

2026 GA BUdpest.jpg15
2026 GA BUdpest.jpg

Moderated by Theo Neyenhuis, ENGSO Secretary General, the key session focused on the future of European sports policy, joined online and led by Giorgio Guazzugli Marini, Head of Sport Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC). The discussion explored the latest developments shaping European sport, particularly the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework, Erasmus+, and the European Commission’s Work Programme. Participants gained valuable insights into how future EU priorities may impact sport organisations across Europe.

 

Another important discussion centered on strengthening the sport sector’s voice in Brussels. In the session titled Championing Sport in Brussels: EU Advocacy Strategy, Nerijus Tabokas, ENGSO Policy Officer, examined how sport organisations can engage more effectively with EU institutions and policymakers. The session provided practical guidance on advocacy tools, stakeholder engagement, and opportunities for influencing future European sport policies.

 

Youth participation and inclusion were also high on the agenda. Tiago Guilherme, ENGSO Youth Managing Director, led a session dedicated to understanding the needs of member organisations regarding youth involvement and leadership in sport. Preliminary findings from the EUYOUSPORT project were presented, sparking discussions about how organisations can better empower young people and create more inclusive sporting environments.

The second day of the General Assembly, Saturday 23 May, began with a welcome speech from Gyarfas Olah, ENGSO Committee member, who reinforced the value of collaboration and shared learning within the European sport network.

Highlight of the day was the session Building Gender Equality in Sport: Sharing Programmes, Challenges and Solutions. Moderated by Tarja Krum and Sarah Townsend, ENGSO EWS Committee, the session featured presentation on gender equality and contributions from Anna-Maria Wiesner (ENGSO ExCom), Hristina Hristova (EUSA) and Claus Farnberger (COE EPAS). Speakers shared examples of equality-focused research and projects, discussed current challenges in advancing gender equality, and exchanged best practices from across Europe. The session also marked the launch of the new EWS Mentoring Programme, a capacity-building initiative designed to support Equality Officers and professionals working in the field of inclusion and equality in sport.

The seminar concluded with an engaging and interactive session titled Sport, Athletes and Media – Shaping the Future Together. The session featured renowned Hungarian journalist, sports lawyer, and media personality Dr. Zsuzsa Csisztu alongside Zsófia Csonka, European Champion sport shooter and Vice President of the Athletes’ Commission of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.

The event concluded with the ENGSO General Assembly and Youth Assembly. Opened by ENGSO President Stefan Bergh, the session began with an overview of ENGSO’s activities in 2025 across three key areas: policy, projects and events, and organisational development. The presentations were delivered by ENGSO Vice President Filipa Godinho, ENGSO Secretary General Theo Neyenhuis, and ENGSO Office Director Marie Denitton.

 

This was followed by presentations from the three ENGSO Committees — Youth, EWS, and the EU Advisory Committee — led by Alessia De Iulis (ENGSO Youth Chair), Tarja Krum (EWS Chair), and Andre Urban (EU AC Member).

 

The Assembly also approved a new associate member to join the ENGSO network: the Turkish Sports for All Federation. Thomas Bach, Vice President of the Danish National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation (DIF), was elected as a member of the ENGSO Executive Committee.

 

An overview of current ENGSO and ENGSO Youth projects was presented by Lovisa Broms (ENGSO Project Manager) and Tiago Guilherme (ENGSO Youth Managing Director). The programme also included a workshop on member development led by Anna-Maria Wiesner, during which participants shared feedback on the actions and topics that would best support the development of grassroots sport capacity at national level.

 

ENGSO Youth held its Youth Assembly during which they presented their work, projects and events that took place throughout the year 2025. During the assembly, Christina Bühler from the Lichtenstein Olympic Committee was elected as an ENGSO Youth Committee member. 

 

The event concluded with an invitation from ENGSO Executive Committee member Romana Caput Jogunica, representing the Croatian Olympic Committee, to attend the 2026 edition of the European Sport Platform 2026, which will take place from 15–17 October 2026 in Split.