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Sport as a Tool for Social Inclusion and Social Change

This is an excerpt from Contemporary Leadership in Sport Organizations 2nd Edition With HKPropel Access by David Scott.

On the Sidelines

In a blog posting by The Foundation for Global Sports Development, several points were made regarding the benefits and values of sport as a vehicle for social inclusion and social change worldwide, including that organizations and governments have been working tirelessly to use sport for good in the world. Here are key points:

• Anecdotal evidence that sport can create bridges where boundaries usually exist
• Youth sport research and literature stressing the effects of sport participation in learning important life skills and goal setting
• Sport participation assisting in the development of an appreciation for diversity
• The International Sport and Culture Association philosophy that sport is not just about competition and exercise but regulating behavior and creating a feeling of belonging leading to strengthening of a democracy
• The launching of the organization Laureus Sport for Good, founded by Johann Rupert in South Africa, based on the principle that “sport can bridge the gaps in society and change the way people look at the world” (Our History n.d., para. 4).

In addition, in 2016, the IOC provided US$2 million in emergency funding to aid humanitarian efforts by building sport facilities at the Open Reception Centre in Athens, Greece for refugees. The IOC also provided sport scholarships to several refugee athletes who marched behind the Olympic Flag of the first Refugee Olympic Team at the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Based on “Sports as a Tool for Social Inclusion and Social Change” (2016); “Refugee Olympic Team to Shine Spotlight on Worldwide Refugee Crisis” (2017).

More Excerpts From Contemporary Leadership in Sport Organizations 2nd Edition With HKPropel Access

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