Abschlussarbeit im Projekt “CoExo” Am Institut für Bewegungstherapie sowie bewegungsorientierte Prävention und Rehabilitation werden ab dem nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt innerhalb des Projekts „CoExo“ ein Thema für eine Abschlussarbeit und/oder ein Praktikum vergeben. Deine Aufgaben: Unterstützung bei der Planung, Durchführung und Auswertung von Messungen (dreidimensionale Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG, fNIRS) mit und ohne den Einsatz eines schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletts Mitwirken bei wissenschaftlichen Literaturrecherchen zu biomechanischen und neurophysiologischen Parametern beim Einsatz von schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletten Mögliche Themen Deiner Abschlussarbeit sind: Veränderungen der Oberkörperkinematik bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung Veränderungen der Muskelaktivität und Muskelsynergien bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung Auf Englisch oder Deutsch möglich Erforderlich sind: Erfahrung in der Projektorganisation selbständige und eigenverantwortliche Arbeitsweise Planungs- und Organisationsfähigkeit, Zuverlässigkeit Lernbereitschaft, ausgeprägte Eigeninitiative und ein hohes Maß an Einsatzbereitschaft Erwünscht sind: Erfahrung im wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten Teamfähigkeit und Flexibilität Vorkenntnisse in der 3D-Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG und fNIRS, diese sind jedoch keine Voraussetzung Freude an wissenschaftlicher Arbeit, Interesse an digitalen Technologien Du hast Interesse? Dann melde Dich gerne bis zum 21.06.2026 bei Isabel Braun per Mail ( i.braun(at)dshs-koeln.de ) oder telefonisch unter 022149824782 Hier der Link zur Ausschreibung !

Interview mit Handballprofi Aaron Mensing Aaron Mensing (29) ist Profi-Handballspieler beim Bundesligisten MT Melsungen, mit dem er kürzlich die European League gewann. Nebenbei studiert er aber auch an der Deutschen Sporthochschule Köln. Für ihn stehen in den kommenden Tagen die Prüfungen für den Zertifikatsstudiengang zum European Handball Manager an. Im Interview spricht er u.a. darüber, wie er die lange Verletzungspause für seine berufliche Zukunft genutzt hat und was ihm besonders am European Handball Manager gefällt. Wie verlief für dich der Wiedereinstieg im Team nach deiner langen Verletzungspause? Der Wiedereinstieg war auf jeden Fall eine Herausforderung. Nach so einer langen Pause muss man sich erst wieder an die Belastung gewöhnen und vor allem das Vertrauen in den eigenen Körper zurückfinden. Gleichzeitig hat mir das Team extrem geholfen, wieder reinzukommen. Ich habe Schritt für Schritt gemerkt, dass es wieder besser wird, und insgesamt bin ich mit dem Verlauf echt zufrieden. Was hat dich motiviert am European Handball Manager teilzunehmen? Ich wollte mich schon länger neben dem Handball weiterentwickeln, besonders in Richtung Management. Der EHM ist dafür ideal, weil er genau auf unseren Sport zugeschnitten ist. Mich hat vor allem gereizt, den Handball auch mal aus einer anderen Perspektive kennenzulernen. Mit welchen Eindrücken und Gefühlen bist du nach der ersten Präsenzphase heimgefahren? Mit einem sehr guten Gefühl. Es war spannend, sich mit Leuten auszutauschen, die teilweise ganz andere Blickwinkel auf den Sport haben. Gleichzeitig merkt man schnell, dass viele ähnliche Gedanken haben, gerade was die Zukunft nach der Karriere betrifft. Ich habe auf jeden Fall einiges an Input mitgenommen. Inwiefern sind deine Erwartungen an den EHM erfüllt bzw. auch nicht erfüllt worden? Bis jetzt wurden meine Erwartungen auf jeden Fall erfüllt. Die Inhalte sind praxisnah und gut auf den Handball abgestimmt. Besonders wertvoll ist für mich der Austausch untereinander. Was fasziniert dich am meisten am EHM? Mich begeistert vor allem der Blick hinter die Kulissen. Als Spieler bekommt man vieles gar nicht so bewusst mit. Durch den EHM versteht man besser, wie Vereine arbeiten und welche Überlegungen hinter Entscheidungen stehen. Wie gut sind Handballprofis allgemein auf eine Karriere nach der sportlichen Karriere vorbereitet? Das ist von Spieler zu Spieler unterschiedlich. Manche beschäftigen sich früh damit, andere eher später. Während der Karriere liegt der Fokus natürlich voll auf dem Sport. Umso wichtiger sind Angebote wie der EHM, die helfen, sich rechtzeitig mit der Zukunft auseinanderzusetzen. Welchen Tipp würdest du anderen Profispieler*innen im Handball geben, die sich Gedanken über ihre Zeit nach der sportlichen Karriere machen? Früh anfangen, sich Gedanken zu machen, und offen bleiben für neue Themen. Man muss nicht sofort alles wissen, aber es hilft, sich nebenbei weiterzubilden oder andere Erfahrungen zu sammeln. So schafft man sich nach und nach verschiedene Möglichkeiten für die Zeit nach der Karriere. Zum Zertifikatsstudiengang European Handball Manager

[image: ] Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln . 50933 Köln Ausschreibung für eine Abschlussarbeit oder ein Praktikum im Projekt „CoExo“ Institut für Bewegungstherapie und bewegungsorientierte Prävention und Rehabilitation Institute of health promotion and clinical movement science Isabel Braun Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6 50933 Köln . Deutschland Telefon +49(0)221 4982-4782 i.braun@dshs-koeln.de www.dshs-koeln.de Köln, 11.06.2026 Am Institut für Bewegungstherapie sowie bewegungsorientierte Prävention und Rehabilitation werden ab dem nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt innerhalb des Projekts „CoExo“ ein Thema für eine Abschlussarbeit und/oder ein Praktikum vergeben. Deine Aufgaben: · Unterstützung bei der Planung, Durchführung und Auswertung von Messungen (dreidimensionale Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG, fNIRS) mit und ohne den Einsatz eines schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletts · Mitwirken bei wissenschaftlichen Literaturrecherchen zu biomechanischen und neurophysiologischen Parametern beim Einsatz von schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletten Mögliche Themen Deiner Abschlussarbeit sind: · Veränderungen der Oberkörperkinematik bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung · Veränderungen der Muskelaktivität und Muskelsynergien bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung · Auf Englisch oder Deutsch möglich Erforderlich sind: · Erfahrung in der Projektorganisation · selbständige und eigenverantwortliche Arbeitsweise · Planungs- und Organisationsfähigkeit, Zuverlässigkeit · Lernbereitschaft, ausgeprägte Eigeninitiative und ein hohes Maß an Einsatzbereitschaft Erwünscht sind: · Erfahrung im wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten · Teamfähigkeit und Flexibilität · Vorkenntnisse in der 3D-Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG und fNIRS, diese sind jedoch keine Voraussetzung · Freude an wissenschaftlicher Arbeit, Interesse an digitalen Technologien Du hast Interesse? Dann melde Dich gerne bis zum 21.06.2026 bei Isabel Braun per Mail ( i.braun@dshs-koeln.de ) oder telefonisch unter 022149824782 image1.png Deutsche Sporthochschule Koln German Sport University Cologne

Am Institut für Bewegungstherapie sowie bewegungsorientierte Prävention und Rehabilitation werden ab dem nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt innerhalb des Projekts „CoExo“ ein Thema für eine Abschlussarbeit und/oder ein Praktikum vergeben. Deine Aufgaben: Unterstützung bei der Planung, Durchführung und Auswertung von Messungen (dreidimensionale Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG, fNIRS) mit und ohne den Einsatz eines schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletts Mitwirken bei wissenschaftlichen Literaturrecherchen zu biomechanischen und neurophysiologischen Parametern beim Einsatz von schulterunterstützenden Exoskeletten Mögliche Themen Deiner Abschlussarbeit sind: Veränderungen der Oberkörperkinematik bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung Veränderungen der Muskelaktivität und Muskelsynergien bei Exoskelett-Nutzung unter kognitiver Doppelbelastung Auf Englisch oder Deutsch möglich Erforderlich sind: Erfahrung in der Projektorganisation selbständige und eigenverantwortliche Arbeitsweise Planungs- und Organisationsfähigkeit, Zuverlässigkeit Lernbereitschaft, ausgeprägte Eigeninitiative und ein hohes Maß an Einsatzbereitschaft Erwünscht sind: Erfahrung im wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten Teamfähigkeit und Flexibilität Vorkenntnisse in der 3D-Bewegungsanalyse, sEMG und fNIRS, diese sind jedoch keine Voraussetzung Freude an wissenschaftlicher Arbeit, Interesse an digitalen Technologien Du hast Interesse? Dann melde Dich gerne bis zum 21.06.2026 bei Isabel Braun per Mail ( i.braun@dshs-koeln.de ) oder telefonisch unter 022149824782 Hier der Link zur Ausschreibung !

Tagung im Deutschen Fußballmuseum beleuchtet globale Herausforderungen des Sports Wie politisch ist Fußball? Diese Frage stand im Mittelpunkt der Tagung „Fußball-WM 2026 und Politik“, die am 10. Juni 2026 im Deutschen Fußballmuseum in Dortmund stattfand. Veranstaltet wurde die Tagung von der Deutschen Sporthochschule Köln und der Universität Münster. Im Vorfeld der Weltmeisterschaft 2026 in den USA, Kanada und Mexiko diskutierten Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler über die politischen, gesellschaftlichen und medialen Dimensionen des weltweit größten Sportereignisses. Im Fokus standen dabei sowohl die Rolle der FIFA als auch die Interessen der drei Gastgeberstaaten. Gleichzeitig wurde deutlich, wie sehr sich die mediale Begleitung des Fußballs in Zeiten sozialer Netzwerke verändert hat. Die WM 2026 im Spannungsfeld unterschiedlicher Interessen Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mittag vom Institut für Europäische Sportentwicklung und Freizeitforschung analysierte in seinem Vortrag die Bewerbung und Vergabe der Weltmeisterschaft sowie die unterschiedlichen Zielsetzungen der beteiligten Akteure. Unter dem Titel „Gemeinsames Spielfeld, getrennte Interessen?“ zeigte er auf, dass die drei Gastgeberstaaten zwar gemeinsam auftreten, dabei jedoch jeweils eigene politische und gesellschaftliche Interessen verfolgen. Zugleich ordnete Mittag die Entwicklung der FIFA in den vergangenen Jahren ein. Vor dem Hintergrund des Korruptionsskandals von 2015 („FIFAGate“) thematisierte er Reformbemühungen innerhalb des Weltverbandes, verwies aber auch auf fortbestehende Herausforderungen im Bereich der Governance. Die Diskussion um Menschenrechte, Sportswashing und Sportdiplomatie zeige, dass die Beziehung zwischen Sport und Politik weiterhin neu austariert werden müsse. Social Media und die Zukunft des Sportjournalismus Mit dem Wandel der Sportberichterstattung beschäftigte sich Jun.-Prof. Dr. Daniel Nölleke vom Institut für Kommunikations und Medienforschung. In seinem Vortrag „Social Media Fußball: Zum Wandel von Medienlogiken und Journalismus“ zeichnete er nach, wie sich die Rolle des Sportjournalismus in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten verändert hat. Anhand historischer Beispiele verdeutlichte er die traditionelle Nähe zwischen Sportjournalismus und den Akteuren des Sports. Gleichzeitig stellte er die Frage, welche Aufgaben journalistische Berichterstattung in Zeiten direkter Kommunikation über soziale Medien künftig übernehmen kann. Angesichts vereinseigener Kanäle und der wachsenden Bedeutung digitaler Plattformen komme der kritischen Einordnung und unabhängigen Recherche eine besondere Bedeutung zu. Die Leitfrage des Vortrags lautete daher: „Wozu noch Sportjournalismus?“ Sport als Spiegel gesellschaftlicher Entwicklungen Die Tagung machte deutlich, dass die Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2026 nicht nur ein sportliches Großereignis sein wird. Vielmehr fungiert sie als Projektionsfläche für Fragen der internationalen Zusammenarbeit, der politischen Kommunikation und der medialen Verantwortung. Die Beiträge aus Sportpolitikforschung und Kommunikationswissenschaft zeigten eindrucksvoll, wie eng Sport, Gesellschaft und Politik miteinander verflochten sind. Zugleich unterstrichen sie die Bedeutung wissenschaftlicher Perspektiven für das Verständnis aktueller Entwicklungen im internationalen Sport. Die Beiträge: Prof. Dr. Norbert Kersting, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Universität Münster : Nationales Branding und nationale Identität von Mega-Sport-Event. Die Fußball WM 2026 Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mittag, Institut für Europäische Sportentwicklung und Freizeitforschung, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln : Gemeinsames Spielfeld, getrennte Interessen? Bewerbung, Zielsetzungen und Strategien des Ausrichtertriumvirats der WM 2026 Jun.-Prof. Dr. Daniel Nölleke, Institut für Kommunikations und Medienforschung, Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln : Der Wandel von sich Medienlogiken und Journalismus im digitalen Zeitalter und die Fußball Weltmeisterschaft 2026 Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling, Journalist und Autor, Münster : Fußball-WM, Demokratie, Menschenrechte und Boykott. Am Beispiel der WM 2022 in Qatar“ Prof. Dr. Henk Erik Meier, Professur für Sozialwissenschaften des Sports, Universität Münster : Die deutsche Nationalmannschaft und politische Positionierungen. Erwartungen der Bevölkerung Abschlussdiskussion Außerdem: Postershow „Politische, ökologische und ökonomische Auswirkungen, Tourismus, Sicherheit, Nationale Identität und Nation Branding, Akteure" Hier noch mehr zum Thema lesen: ⇢ Wozu noch Sportjournalismus? Ein Gespräch mit Jun.-Prof. Dr. Daniel Nölleke über Social Media, Fußball und den Wandel der Medien ⇢ Zwischen globalem Fest und politischer Bühne: Die Fußball-WM 2026 im Wandel - Interview mit Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mittag

Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln Prüfungsamt Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6 50933 Köln Antrag Befreiung von der Sporteignungsprüfung Name:___________________________ Vorname:____________________geb. am:_________ Strasse:_______________________________________________________________________ PLZ/Ort_______________________________________________________________________ Handy-Nr.:_______________________ Email:_______________________________________ Folgende Unterlagen im Original zur Befreiung von der Sporteignungsprüfung sind beigefügt: (bitte Zutreffendes ankreuzen) Zeugnis über die bestandene Diplom-Vorprüfung im Diplomstudiengang Sportwissen- schaft Zeugnis über die bestandene Abschlussprüfung eines Studienganges Sport/Sportwissenschaft an einer deutschen oder ausländischen Universität Nachweise über das erfolgreiche Studium in allen fünf Sportarten der Eignungsfest- stellung: Mannschaftsspiel, Rückschlagspiel, Leichtathletik, Schwimmen, Turnen Nachweise über das erfolgreiche Studium in den Sportarten des Grundstudiums des Diplomstudienganges Sportwissenschaft der Deutschen Sporthochschule Köln _____________________ _____________________________ Datum Unterschrift (wird vom Prüfungsamt ausgefüllt) Der Antrag wird genehmigt Der Antrag wird nicht genehmigt Köln, den ______________________________ (Unterschrift) Stand: 28.01.2013

Manual for the Improved Implementation of Athletes’ Social Protection Paulina Tomczyk Christophe Grognard Manfred Lämmer, Bastian Grüger Jürgen Mittag, Lorenz Fiege, Maximilian Seltmann Andrea Cattaneo Vanja Smokvina Luiz Haas Pawel Zembura Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports Erasmus+ SOPROS (Project 101090790) Erasmus+ Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports (SOPROS) (Project 101090790) Manual for the Improved Implementation of Athletes’ Social Protection Adopted 11/25 Authors Paulina Tomczyk (European Athletes and Players Association) Christophe Grognard (European Association of Sport Employers) Prof Dr Manfred Lämmer, Bastian Grüger (European Olympic Academies) Prof Dr Jürgen Mittag, Lorenz Fiege, Dr Maximilian Seltmann (German Sport University Cologne) Dr Andrea Cattaneo (Edge Hill University) Dr Vanja Smokvina (University of Rijeka) Dr Luiz Haas (Sport Evolution Alliance) Dr Pawel Zembura (Institute for Sport Governance) Publisher: Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies German Sport University Cologne © 2025 doi: 10.25847/sopros.02.2025 Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. Table of Contents 1. Context and Recognition ................................................................................................ 1 2. Concept: Athletes’ Human Right to Social Protection .................................................... 2 3. Scope and Approach of this Manual ............................................................................... 3 3.1 A Diverse Athlete Population: Terminological Ambiguity and Legal Uncertainty ...... 3 3.2 Guiding Principles: Shared Responsibility and Duty-bearing ................................... 4 4. Recommendations and Guidelines for Stakeholders ...................................................... 6 4.1 FUNDING ................................................................................................................ 8 4.2 LEGISLATION / POLICY MAKING .......................................................................... 9 4.3 COORDINATION AND INTERACTION ..................................................................13 4.4 EDUCATION ..........................................................................................................16 1 1. Context and Recognition The social protection of elite athletes is an important human rights concern that has long received insufficient attention in international sport. Recent academic work highlights a persistent gap between the athlete-centred social rights outlined in international frameworks and the actual implementation of social protection measures at the national level. Comparative cross-national analyses further show that significant protection gaps exist even in European countries with relatively advanced welfare and social security systems (Fiege 2025; MISSOC 2024; Mittag et al. 2025). The situation is likely even more challenging for athletes in less developed welfare states. Given this discrepancy between normative commitments and empirical realities, we argue that improving social protection for elite athletes is essential to uphold the universality of human rights and to ensure equal opportunities within elite sport. Against this backdrop, this Manual offers: a nuanced conceptual approach to athletes’ social protection as a human right (see Chapter 2); a practical definition of the target group of athletes and guiding principles for the effective implementation of athletes’ social protection (see Chapter 3); and a call to action, including actor-specific recommendations (see Chapter 4). The Manual was jointly developed by the partners to the Erasmus+ SOPROS Project and formally adopted by the Boards of the three policy partners, namely the European Athletes and Players Association (EAPA), the European Association of Sport Employers (EASE) and the European Olympic Academies (EOA), on 24 November 2025. Thereby, it complements the “SOPROS Declaration Athletes’ Social Protection and SOPROS Partners’ Commitments” that outlines the individual and joint commitments by the project partners (see Annex 1). 2 2. Concept: Athletes’ Human Right to Social Protection Social protection is a human right to which “all elite athletes are entitled, irrespective of their specific legal and social status under a contract or national law, their nationality, or their gender” (Mittag et al. 2025, p. 8). Following the notion that “social rights are human rights” (Council of Europe 2024, p. 1) and the principles of non-discrimination and equal opportunities (cf. UN General Assembly 1966), we argue that the same protection rights and standards should apply to all groups of elite athletes, as they do for any other citizen, resident, or worker within a given country or political community. Ensuring access to adequate social protection measures consistent with the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Social Model is essential for promoting athletes’ active inclusion in society (Council of the EU 2019; 2023). We note not only that adequate protection is important for enabling elite athletes’ sporting performance – and thus for ensuring returns on investment for funders of national elite sport (development) programmes. In line with the principles of interrelatedness and indivisibility in human rights law, we further recognise that social protection is a crucial enabler of other fundamental athlete rights, including their effective political participation in the governance of their sport (cf. Cronert and Hadenius 2021; OHCHR 2012). For example, adequate protection underpins athletes’ rights to unionise, to secure independent representation, and to engage in collective bargaining based on the principle of freedom of association. Overall, consistent with international social protection frameworks adopted by the International Labour Organisation (2012) and the European Union (2021), we maintain that, at a minimum, elite athletes should have access to ten (10) statutory state provisions and three (3) additional athlete-specific measures to ensure adequate coverage (see Table 1). 3 Table 1 Fundamental social protection provisions and measures for elite athletes. Mode Component Statutory (state) provisions Child and family benefits Maternity/paternity benefits Unemployment support Employment injury benefits Sickness benefits Health protection/insurance (incl. maternity) Old-age benefits/pensions Invalidity/disability benefits Survivors’ benefits Minimum income Athlete-specific measures Special accident/injury insurance Special pregnancy and maternity protection Athlete pension or retirement funds “Other” measures (e.g., liability, travel, legal expenses) 3. Scope and Approach of this Manual 3.1 A Diverse Athlete Population: Terminological Ambiguity and Legal Uncertainty In line with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Technical Brief and its Classification of Occupations1, we maintain that the category of professional athletes includes not only elite athletes with regular employment relationships, as is common in many team sports. We argue that Olympic elite athletes should also be regarded as “professional” workers and therefore covered by basic social protection provisions. Most athletes do in fact receive remuneration and frequently operate under atypical employment arrangements (including non-employment) in situations of subordination and 1 According to the ILO’s (2024, p. 1-2) Technical Brief, a “professional athlete” can be defined as “an athlete who gains income through competitive sports and whose activities are controlled by a sports organization, such as a club or federation”. This would include “athletes whose only professional activity is sport, either as employees or as contract players of sports clubs” and those “who may have other jobs but who spend significant time training and competing in sports competitions from which they derive income.” Moreover, the ILO states that while “being celebrated competitors and symbols of national/local pride and identity, professional athletes are also workers in the world of sports.” 4 external direction, thus meeting the standard criteria to assess worker status (cf. European Commission 2010; O’Leary et al. 2024). Although professional team sport athletes may also experience inadequate social protection, Olympic elite athletes are particularly vulnerable and may face precarious socio-economic conditions during and after their sporting careers. In practice, this group includes nationally supported elite athletes who are integrated into national cadre and support systems, or, where applicable, hold a specific legal or social status as “elite athlete” under national law or sport policy (cf. ILO 2024; Mittag et al. 2022). For these athletes, the Olympic Games typically represent the pinnacle of international sport, and the commercial use of their performance and image is central to generating revenue for the Olympic movement. At the national level, however, it is difficult to resolve all terminological and legal ambiguities due to the limited harmonisation of social and sport policies across EU Member States, among other factors. We therefore suggest that the precise scope of the elite athlete population to be covered by this Manual should be further defined by relevant sport actors within domestic contexts. Potential differences across types of sport, age categories, and functionally equivalent arrangements related to the effective implementation of social protection measures should be carefully examined. For the remainder of this Manual, the term “athlete” refers to the target population defined above. 3.2 Guiding Principles: Shared Responsibility and Duty-bearing Based on the principle of shared responsibility, this Manual applies to all actors involved in or affected by issues of athletes’ social protection. It also acknowledges the diverse roles and functions assumed by various actors, including legislative, judicial, regulatory, financial, and educational or communicative functions. Overall, we suggest that a range of pathways and actor constellations may contribute to fulfilling athletes’ human right to social protection, depending on national socio-political circumstances and the characteristics of particular sports. To ensure that different implementation approaches are effective and mutually reinforcing, a high degree of multi-level coordination and clearly assigned responsibilities is essential. Against this backdrop, 1. Firstly, governments and public authorities must develop a national protection framework in which public and private policies and measures complement each other effectively to ensure the highest possible level of social protection for athletes. 5 2. Secondly, states and private actors must act in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) and their underlying “Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework” (United Nations 2011): a. States must protect against human rights violations committed by third parties, including businesses, through appropriate laws, policies, and judicial mechanisms. b. Private and other corporate actors involved in exploiting the economic value of athletes must contribute a proportionate share to funding and implementing relevant social protection measures in line with the principle of corporate responsibility. They must also conduct human rights due diligence to prevent negative impacts on athletes’ right to social protection and, where violations occur, adopt effective measures to remedy them. c. Affected athletes must have access to effective remedies – both judicial and non-judicial – without interference in their right to seek redress before public courts. 3. Thirdly, forms of social dialogue and collective bargaining2, based on mutual recognition and equitable negotiation between sport-specific social partners, must play a central role in improving the social protection of athletes. Evidence from other economic sectors and from certain (team) sports demonstrates that collective governance – grounded in the recognition of professional athletes as workers and their effective co-determination – can achieve higher levels of social protection than unilateral decision-making by SGBs (Fiege & Seltmann 2024, ILO 2024, World Players Association 2024). 2 For the purpose of this Manual, social dialogue is defined as a process of negotiation by which social partners, representing workers and employers, reach agreement to work together on economic and social policies based on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining (cf. ILO 2022). The European Commission’s (2011, p. 12) Communication on Developing the European Dimension in Sport highlighted that social dialogue in the sport sector is a “cornerstone of the European social model”. And more recently, the European Parliament (2021, p. 7) called on the European Commission “to extend its scope to all professional sports.” 6 4. Recommendations and Guidelines for Stakeholders Preamble: Recognition and Commitment The roles and responsibilities acknowledged by the members of the SOPROS consortium as such do not suffice to realise a comprehensive social protection coverage for athletes. A joint effort by the entire stakeholder community is essential. We envision that the commitments of the project partners enshrined in the “SOPROS Declaration Athletes’ Social Protection and SOPROS Partners’ Commitments” (annexed to this Manual) inspire other responsible actors to themselves commit to contributing to an improved implementation of athletes’ social protection. This presupposes fulfilment of two important conditions: Above all, it is key that the involved actors commit to promote, protect, respect, and remedy all internationally recognised athletes’ human rights, including their right to social protection, in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). In addition, where an athlete’s sporting activity falls within the realm of the definition of a professional athlete outlined above, they must recognise athletes as workers and the labour rights attached to this status. The following actor-specific recommendations and call to action which are formulated along different governance levels and interrelated areas for improvement shall navigate enhanced stakeholder engagement. The former reflect the global sport governance architecture of the Olympic system and comprise the international, European, and national level. The latter comprise four (4) interrelated core areas in which action and adjustments are indispensable to improve athletes’ social protection coverage across the benchmarked statutory (state) provisions and complementary athlete-specific measures (see Chapter 2). These include: 1. FUNDING 2. LEGISLATION AND POLICY MAKING 3. COORDINATION AND INTERACTION 4. EDUCATION Firstly, long-term funding from public (incl. taxpayers’ money) and private (e.g. commercial revenues) sources and effective redistributive mechanisms within and beyond the elite sport sector are pivotal. Secondly, we hold that the design and consolidation of robust legal and policy frameworks – into which also related funding streams are integrated – are key to ensure the respect, protection, and remedy of athletes’ right to social protection (see UNGP and their Respect, Remedy, and Protection Framework). With “full respect of freedom of association and collective bargaining” (ILO 2021, p. 2), effective participation of those athletes for whom related 7 social protection schemes are designed shall be guaranteed in related legislative and/or policy making processes. Thirdly, more formal and regular ways of interaction and coordination across governance levels and actor groups are needed to guarantee effective monitoring, reporting, and accountability mechanisms. And, fourthly, progress for the good of athletes in these three areas shall be guided and driven by more comprehensive educational activities and information-sharing by the involved actors. As such, the below recommendations must not be seen as isolated claims, but rather as being mutually interdependent and reinforcing. Expanding upon the project partners’ responsibilities and in line with the conceptualisation and scope of application presented above, we call on: 8 4.1 FUNDING In te rn a ti o n a l International Olympic Committee (IOC) to contribute to the funding of statutory (state) provisions and athlete- specific social protection measures by national SGBs in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) and the ILO’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. without conceding to replace other athlete-centred funds, to bound the redistribution of funds (from its commercial revenues, like broadcasting rights and sponsoring) to its constituencies to the implementation of, among others: o special accidence/injury insurance; o special pregnancy/maternity protection; o athlete pensions / retirement funds; and educational programmes for athletes. in its role as event organiser, to fund NOCs providing athletes with special accidence/injury and travel/repatriation insurance for the time they participate in the Olympic Games and for any travels to/from the event location. International Federations (IFs) to contribute to the funding of athlete/sport-specific social protection measures by NFs in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). in their role as event organisers, to fund NFs providing athletes with special accidence/injury and travel/repatriation insurance for the time they participate in major international sport events and for any travels to/from the event location. Governments / Public Authorities N a tio n a l to contribute to the long-term funding of statutory (state) provisions and athlete-specific measures for an adequate social protection coverage for athletes through their available financial means. 9 Sport Governing Bodies (SGBs) to contribute to the funding of statutory (state) provisions and athlete- specific measures for an adequate social protection coverage for athletes through their available financial means. to fund athlete-specific measures for those athletes with whom they have a contractual relationship. 4.2 LEGISLATION / POLICY MAKING In te rn a ti o n a l United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to specify athletes’ right to social protection and related provisions/measures as part of its Guidelines on Sport Integrity. IOC to stipulate athletes’ right to social protection in its human rights strategies and athlete rights frameworks by: o expanding and specifying athletes’ right to social protection and applicable provisions/measures in its Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance (Principle 5), including especially: ▪ special accidence/injury insurance during competition and training; ▪ special pregnancy/maternity protection; and ▪ athlete pensions and retirement benefits. Independent Athlete Organisations to negotiate with international SGBs or other entities with whom athletes have a contract and/or agreement, enhanced social protection standards for athletes. to monitor and to consider to take action in case of any alleged violations of athletes’ rights (as workers) under applicable law. 10 European Union (EU) E u ro p e a n Within its competence, to clarify the legal/social status of athletes without regular employment contract(s) by: o European Commission: applying existing EU (social policy) legislation to athletes to prevent and combat disguised employment; including: ▪ investigating and clarifying whether related Directives (e.g. on platform workers and solo-self-employed) may equally encompass athletes; and, ▪ in the event athletes are not protected under the existing legal framework, consider amendments to ensure their effective protection. o European Commission, European Parliament and Council of the EU: adopting new (sector-specific) legislation on athletes’ social (protection) rights, such as Parliamentary / Council Resolution(s), or Directives. to stipulate athletes’ human right to social protection as a “key feature” of the European Sport Model in applicable EU sport policy frameworks (incl. Parliamentary / Council Resolutions, and Communication(s) by the Commission). to draft and adopt specific recommendations on improving athletes’ athletes’ social protection coverage in the scope of the Open Method for Coordination (OMC) Group on “Promoting Athletes’ Rights within the Context of Good Governance in Sport”. Council of Europe to adopt resolutions and recommendations that support the implementation of athletes’ human right to social protection based on Article 6 (“Human Rights”) of the European Sport Charter. Independent Athlete Organisations to negotiate with European SGBs or other entities with whom athletes have a contract and/or agreement, and in cooperation with the 11 responsible public authorities, enhanced social protection standards for athletes. to monitor and to consider to take action in case of any alleged violations of athletes’ rights (as workers) under applicable law. Legislators and Public Authorities N a ti o n a l to shape and adopt athlete-centred legislative acts and (sport) laws which: o recognise athletes’ human right to social protection; o do not interfere with the recognition of athletes as workers and/or undermine their rights as workers, particularly their right to organise and collectively bargain; o develop employment and/or civil service opportunities and foster dual career pathways, including transitional funds for retiring athletes; o ensure long-term (institutional) funding of related provisions and measures, e.g., through a dedicated household budget; o exempt financial benefits paid for specific sporting achievements (e.g., for winning a medal at the Olympic Games) from applicable national income tax; o integrate all athletes into the overarching (statutory) accidence, unemployment, health, and pension insurance systems (with minimum and income-related contributions paid by the state and/or responsible employer/contractor, like a club or SGB) for the time of their active career; o establish and promote entities, monitoring, and dispute resolution instruments for the effective remedy and enforcement of related rights with the support of independent athlete organisations; o to ensure that these instruments are accessible and that no financial costs for athletes filing a complaint/case incur; and o recognise the autonomy of (sport-specific) social partners to negotiate enhanced social protection measures for athletes and involve them in the design of related acts/laws. to extend the duration of athletes’ contracts or civil service agreements, as well as related selection/recruitment policies from 12 which relevant social protection entitlements arise to no less than one Olympic cycle (i.e., four years). Sport Governing Bodies (SGBs) to design (new) employment schemes for athletes in compliance with the ILO’s principles on decent work in sport. to advocate and share knowledge with national governments/legislators in the process of shaping and adopting legislation and policies, for example, in relation to sport-specific requirements. to develop athlete-specific social protection policies and measures which: o account for the specific risks associated with a given (type of) sports and sporting activity; and o are not limited to the most successful athletes and/or medallists. to provide comprehensive injury/accidence, travel/repatriation, and legal expenses insurance, as well as a minimum income for the time athletes with whom they have a contract and/or agreement participate in international sport events. to extend the duration of athletes’ contracts, as well as related selection/recruitment policies from which relevant social protection entitlements arise to no less than one Olympic cycle (i.e., four years). Independent Athlete Organisations to negotiate with SGBs or other entities with whom athletes have a contract and/or agreement, and in cooperation with the responsible public authorities, enhanced social protection standards for athletes. to advise national governments/legislators in the process of shaping and adopting athlete-centred social protection legislation and policies, for example, in relation to athletes’ rights, their individual/collective needs, and any associated protection and enforcement/remedy gaps. to monitor and to consider to take action in case of any alleged violations of athletes’ rights (as workers) under applicable law. 13 4.3 COORDINATION AND INTERACTION In te rn a ti o n a l UNESCO to coordinate multilateral government action and cooperation on athletes’ social protection in the scope of its Global Sports Conference – MINEPS. IOC to promote through its regulations and guidelines athletes’ integration into statutory social protection systems of their countries beyond the time of international sporting events (i.e., for an entire Olympic cycle). to oblige NOCs to ensure the integration of all athletes participating in the Olympic Games into statutory social protection systems of their countries. to coordinate NOCs’ provision of special accidence/injury and travel/repatriation insurance for athletes for the time they participate in Olympic Games. IFs to coordinate NFs’ provision of special accidence/injury and travel/repatriation insurance for athletes for the time they participate in international sport events. to negotiate with independent athletes’ organisations and to make binding for their member federations common social protection standards for athletes as part of their international frameworks (e.g., transfer and licensing regulations). International Labour Organization (ILO) to coordinate governmental action and social partners’ activities at the transnational and national level in the scope of its Global Dialogue Forum on Decent Work in the World of Sport, with greater focus on athletes without regular employment. 14 Independent Athlete Organisations to negotiate with IFs common social protection standards for athletes as part of IFs binding international frameworks (e.g., transfer and licensing regulations). to build capacity and establish networks among their members that enable them to promote and negotiate enhanced social protection standards for athletes across different governance levels and types of sports. Civil Society Bodies to increase cooperation and capacity-building with national (human rights) institutions and athlete (rights) organisations. to contribute to the development of (anonymous) reporting, monitoring, and remedy mechanisms dedicated to redress potential violations of athletes’ social protection rights. EU E u ro p e a n to promote the recognition of all athletes as workers and rights- holders across all Member States. to promote athletes’ social protection as a key subject matter of future attempts to revitalise (sport-specific) sectoral social dialogue at EU and domestic level. to develop (new) forums for improved horizontal coordination about matters of athletes’ social protection within and across leading EU institutions (e.g. between the Commission’s different DGs). to foster convergence of social protection provisions/measures for athletes across its Member States through, for example, use of the Open Method for Coordination (OMC), including: o the establishment of national expert groups and action plans; o monitoring and reporting mechanisms; and o identification and exchange of good practice. 15 Council of Europe to promote its collective complaints procedure (administered by the European Social Committee) as an accountability and remedy mechanism to communicate and redress potential violations of athletes’ social protection rights based on the European Social Charter and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). within its competence enshrined in Article 20.3 of the European Sport Charter, to review, report on progress, and to support the implementation of athletes’ social protection through the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). Independent Athlete Organisations to negotiate with European Federations common social protection standards for athletes as part of federations’ binding international frameworks (e.g., transfer and licensing regulations). to build capacity and establish networks among their members that enable them to promote and negotiate enhanced social protection standards for athletes across different governance levels and types of sports. Legislators and Public Authorities N a ti o n a l to investigate whether existing EU-legislation applied to specific categories of workers (e.g., Directives on platform workers and solo- self-employed) may equally encompass athletes in their respective country. to coordinate and ensure an adequate share of public and private funding of provisions/measures for athletes’ social protection. 16 4.4 EDUCATION IOC to inform IFs, national SGBs, and athletes about athletes’ human right to social protection and to provide international guidance, including: o the development and dissemination of educational programmes and material on its own measures and activities; and o the utilisation of Athlete 365 for education on social risks and social protection. IFs to inform NFs about athletes’ human right to social protection and to provide international guidance, including the development and dissemination of (sport-specific) educational programmes and material on its own measures and activities. ILO to educate and consult with national governments and sport-specific social partners about the use of social dialogue in enhancing athletes’ social protection coverage (in the scope of its Global Dialogue Forum on Decent Work in Sport). Independent Athlete Organisations to educate athletes and their member organisations about athletes’ human right to social protection; and to educate athletes and their member organisations about the effects of their personal career choices/pathways on their personal social protection situation during and after their time as an active athlete, and to provide needs-based guidance and advice on, for example, contractual matters and working conditions. Civil Society Bodies to investigate and raise awareness about persisting protection gaps. 17 o to shape (further) the conceptualisation and recognition of athletes’ social protection as a human right. o to increase cooperation, and knowledge exchange with academic institutions and strategic alliances with social partners (i.e. unions). EU E u ro p e a n to support capacity-building and exchange of best practices in relation to the education of athletes and stakeholders about social protection (e.g. through its programmes and agencies). Independent Athlete Organisations to educate athletes and their member organisations about athletes’ human right to social protection; and to educate athletes and their member organisations about the effects of their personal career choices/pathways on their personal social protection situation during and after their time as an active athlete, and to provide needs-based guidance and advice on, for example, contractual matters and working conditions. SGBs N a ti o n a l to inform athletes about the effects of their personal career choices/pathways on their personal social protection situation during and after their time as an active athlete. to acknowledge and make athletes aware of their social (protection) rights. Independent Athlete Organisations to educate athletes about their human right to social protection; and to educate athletes about the effects of their personal career choices/pathways on their personal social protection situation during and after their time as an active athlete, and to provide needs-based 18 guidance and advice on, for example, contractual matters and working conditions. National Olympic Academies to contribute to the design and implementation of educational activities on athletes’ social protection for SGBs (mainly NOCs). Civil Society Bodies to educate athletes about the effects of their personal career choices/pathways on their personal social protection situation during and after their time as an active athlete. to increase cooperation, and knowledge exchange with academic institutions and strategic alliances with social partners (i.e., unions). 19 References Cronert, A. and Hadenius, A., 2021. Institutional foundations of global well-being: Democracy, state capacity and social protection. International Political Science Review, 42 (5), 705– 724. Council of Europe, 2024. Social rights are human Rights! Available from: https://www.coe.int/pl/web/commissioner/-/social-rights-are-human-rights-. Council of the European Union, 2019. Council Recommendation of 8 November 2019 on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed, 2019/C 387/01 [online]. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2019.387.01.0001.01.ENG&toc=OJ:C:2019:387:TO C.Council of the European Union, 2023. Council of the European Union, 2023. Council Recommendation of 30 January 2023 on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion, 2023/C 41/01 [online]. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32023H0203(01)&from=EN European Commission, 2010. COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS: Reaffirming the free movement of workers: rights and major developments, COM/2010/0373 final [online]. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal- content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52010DC0373. European Commission, 2011. Developing the European Dimension in Sport (the Communication on Sport) COM(2011) 12 final. Available from: https://eur- lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0012:FIN:en:PDF. European Parliament, 2021. EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward: European Parliament resolution of 23 November 2021 on EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward (2021/2058(INI)) (2022/C 224/01). Official Journal of the European Union, 2–10. European Union (EU), 2021. European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. Available from: https://op.europa.eu/webpub/empl/european-pillar-of-social-rights/en/. Fiege L., and Seltmann, M. 2024. Social dialogue in professional sports in Europe: towards democratic governance between the European sport Model and national industrial relations? Journal of European Public Policy, 32(11), 2814–2846. Fiege, L., 2025. The Social Protection of Olympic Elite Athletes in Europe: A Human Right Trapped Between International Commitment and Domestic Institutionalisation? International Sports Law Journal. https://www.coe.int/pl/web/commissioner/-/social-rights-are-human-rights- 20 International Labour Organization (ILO), 2012. Social Protection Floors Recommendation (No. 202). Available from: https://normlex.ilo.org/dyn/nrmlx_en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:12100:0::NO::P12100_INSTRU MENT_ID:3065524. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2022. Social dialogue report 2022: Collective bargaining for an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery. Geneva: ILO Publishing. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024. World Social Protection Report 2024-26. Available from: ilo.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/WSPR_2024_EN_WEB_1.pdf. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024. Professional athletes and the fundamental principles and rights at work. Available from: https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025- 04/Professional%20Athletes%20and%20Fundamental%20Principles%20and%20Rights %20at%20Work%20-%20ILO%20Technical%20Brief.pdf. MISSOC, 2024. Comparative tables [online]. Available from: https://www.missoc.org/missoc- database/comparative-tables/. Mittag, J., et al., 2025. Elite Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports in Europe: An Evaluation of the Status Quo. Cologne: Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies, German Sport University Cologne. Mittag, J., et al., 2022. Good Governance in the Employment Relations of Athletes in Olympic Sports in Europe: Understanding - Evaluating - Improving. Rijeka: University of Rijeka, Faculty of Law. O’Leary, L., Seltmann, M., and Smokvina, V., 2024. Elite Athletes and Worker Status. Industrial Law Journal, 54(2), 248–277. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), 2012. Human Rights Indicators. A Guide to Measurement and Implementation [online]. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/Human_rights_indicators _en.pdf. United Nations (UN), 2011. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework. Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusin essHR_EN.pdf . United Nations General Assembly, 1966. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 2200A (XXI). Available from: https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/cescr.pdf. World Players Association (WPA), 2024. Maternity / Parental Policies in Sport. Available from: https://uniglobalunion.org/wp-content/uploads/UTF-8WPA-Maternity-Policy_Final.pdf. https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/WSPR_2024_EN_WEB_1.pdf https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/Professional%20Athletes%20and%20Fundamental%20Principles%20and%20Rights%20at%20Work%20-%20ILO%20Technical%20Brief.pdf https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/Professional%20Athletes%20and%20Fundamental%20Principles%20and%20Rights%20at%20Work%20-%20ILO%20Technical%20Brief.pdf https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/Professional%20Athletes%20and%20Fundamental%20Principles%20and%20Rights%20at%20Work%20-%20ILO%20Technical%20Brief.pdf https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf DECLARATION ON ATHLETES’ SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOPROS PARTNERS’ COMMITMENTS Paulina Tomczyk Christophe Grognard Manfred Lämmer, Bastian Grüger Jürgen Mittag, Lorenz Fiege, Maximilian Seltmann Andrea Cattaneo Vanja Smokvina Luiz Haas Pawel Zembura Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports Erasmus+ SOPROS (Project 101090790) Erasmus+ Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports (SOPROS) (Project 101090790) DECLARATION ON ATHLETES’ SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOPROS PARTNERS’ COMMITMENTS Authors Paulina Tomczyk (European Athletes and Players Association) Christophe Grognard (European Association of Sport Employers) Prof Dr Manfred Lämmer, Bastian Grüger (European Olympic Academies) Prof Dr Jürgen Mittag, Lorenz Fiege, Dr Maximilian Seltmann (German Sport University Cologne) Dr Andrea Cattaneo (Edge Hill University) Dr Vanja Smokvina (University of Rijeka) Dr Luiz Haas (Sport Evolution Alliance) Dr Pawel Zembura (Institute for Sport Governance) Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them. 1. Declaration on the Human Right to Social Protection of Athletes Preamble Recognising that social protection is a universal human right, and acknowledging that implementation gaps persist even in Member States with advanced welfare and social security systems, we emphasise that enhanced multi-stakeholder cooperation is indispensable for ensuring equal opportunities and adequate protection for all elite athletes. We recall that: • athletes’ social protection is essential to their personal well-being, their sporting performance, and the realisation of their broader human rights; • athletes may be subject to atypical employment relationships and precarious socio- economic conditions that require targeted protection measures; • shared responsibility among public, private, and civil-society actors is crucial for effective delivery of athletes’ social protection. Declaration We, the undersigned, endorse the human right of all elite and professional athletes to adequate social protection, and therefore: 1. Recognise that athletes, irrespective of their legal status or contractual form, must be granted access to statutory (state) provisions and athlete-specific measures. 2. Underline that athletes’ social protection is an enabling condition for the effective exercise of other fundamental rights. 3. Call on employers, governments, public authorities, sport governing bodies and other relevant actors to assume their proportionate share of responsibility in funding and implementing comprehensive protection measures for athletes. 4. Encourage the development and consolidation of robust legal and policy frameworks that recognise athletes as rights-holders and ensure their integration into statutory social protection systems. 5. Stress the need for enhanced coordination, monitoring, reporting, and accountability mechanisms. 6. Emphasise the importance of education, information-sharing, and capacity-building. 7. Support the strengthening of social dialogue and collective bargaining structures. 2. Commitments by the Project Partners We, the project partners of the EU-funded “SOPROS” project, acknowledge our different yet complementary roles in contributing to an improved implementation of athletes’ social protection coverage. We emphasize the critical importance of the project outcomes, especially the Manual for the Improved Implementation of Athletes’ Social Protection. We recall that social protection is a human right to which all elite athletes are entitled, and we endorse a shared responsibility and duty-bearing approach in line with EU objectives, ILO standards, and international human rights principles. Commitments of the Policy Partners European Athletes and Players Association (EAPA) EAPA commits to: • supporting research, evidence-based policy-making, and the exchange of good practices to improve athletes’ social protection; • engaging in social dialogue and collective bargaining, with full respect for freedom of association, to negotiate enhanced social protection measures for athletes; • representing athletes’ views and interests in national and European policy-making processes relating to the design, implementation, and monitoring of social protection provisions; • engaging in cooperation, education, and the sharing of good practices among its members to assess and improve the social protection of athletes and promote it as a human right; European Association of Sport Employers (EASE) EASE commits to: • ensuring that the outcomes of the project are disseminated among sport organisations, employers and policymakers, strengthening their capacity to implement fair, sustainable and coordinated social protection measures for athletes • engaging in social dialogue and collective bargaining, with full respect for freedom of association, to negotiate enhanced social protection measures for athletes; • representing the sport employers’ views and interests in national and European policy- making processes relating to the design, implementation, and monitoring of social protection provisions; • promoting responsible employer conduct and advising sport employers on their duties and responsibilities in the funding and implementation of social protection measures. European Olympic Academies (EOA) EOA commits to: • fostering awareness, education, and cross-border dialogue on athletes’ social protection through its network of National Olympic Academies; • strengthening the link between European policy frameworks and national implementation processes; • supporting inclusive approaches to social protection that recognise the diversity of athlete pathways and legal statuses; • contributing to educational and communicative efforts on athletes’ human rights, including their right to social protection. Joint Commitments of the Academic Partners The academic partners commit to: • providing comparative research and empirical evidence on the status quo of athletes’ social protection coverage across the European continent; • contributing to clarifying the normative core of social protection as a human and labour right of all professional athletes; • identifying practical shortcomings and policy reforms aimed at improving the situation for the most vulnerable athletes; • strengthening capacity-building with policy and social partners at European and national level, including support for emerging forms of social dialogue in elite sport; • integrating the topic of athletes’ social protection into study programmes, teaching curricula, and seminars/workshops for students and stakeholders. Call for Endorsements This declaration is open for endorsement by public authorities, sport governing bodies, athlete organisations, employers, civil society, academic institutions, commercial actors, and individual athletes. The updated list of signatories, as well as guidance on submitting additional commitments, is available on the project website. http://www.dshs-koeln.de/iesf/sopros Adoption This declaration and call to action was adopted on the 9th of December 2025, in Brussels, Belgium, in the framework of the Final Conference of the “SOPROS” project. Paulina Tomczyk (EAPA) gnard (EASE) Dr Vanja Smokvina (UNIRI, for the academic Partners) Erasmus+ Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports (SOPROS) (Project 101090790) Institute of European Sport Development and Leisure Studies German Sport University Cologne © 2025 doi: 10.25847/sopros.02.2025 Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

In diesem 90-minütigen Webinar erhalten Sportlehrkräfte einen praxisnahen Einblick in das Thema Frustrationstoleranz. Auf Grundlage psychologischer und pädagogischer Erkenntnisse wird betrachtet, was Frustration und Frustrationstoleranz sind, wie Frustrationstoleranz im schulischen Alltag und besonders im Sportunterricht gefördert werden kann. Die Teilnehmenden lernen konkrete Strategien kennen, mit denen sie Schulkinder dabei unterstützen können, mit Fehlern, Niederlagen und schwierigen Lernprozessen besser umzugehen. Inhalte des Webinars Was bedeutet Frustrationstoleranz und warum ist sie für Lernen, Bewegung und soziale Situationen wichtig? Welche wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse helfen, Frustration besser zu verstehen? Wie können Sportlehrkräfte durch Feedback, Aufgabenwahl, Fehlerkultur und Unterrichtsgestaltung Frustration abfedern? Welche kleinen Übungen, Routinen und Reflexionsimpulse lassen sich direkt im Sportunterricht einsetzen? Wie kann ein konstruktiver Umgang mit Frustration gefördert werden? Euer Nutzen Nach dem Webinar kennt ihr zentrale wissenschaftliche Grundlagen zum Thema Frustrationstoleranz und könnt konkrete Handlungsmöglichkeiten für euren Unterricht ableiten. Ihr erhaltet praktische Impulse, wie ihr herausfordernde Situationen im Sportunterricht pädagogisch nutzen und Schulkinder dabei unterstützen könnt, Frustrationstoleranz, Selbstregulation und Zuversicht zu entwickeln. Dozent Stefan Ackermann Termin 23. September 2026, 16:00 - 17:30 Uhr, digital Anmeldung Die kostenlose Anmeldung zum Webinar ist im Login-Bereich der Schulsportlandschaft möglich. Hier kannst du dich kostenlos für den Login-Bereich der Schulsportlandschaft registrieren.