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The role of sport in regional politics in the EU – the case of a Hungarian and an Austrian region
Publisher
Waxmann
Source
European Journal for Sport and Society, 4(1), 59-68
Date Issued
2007
Author(s)
Dancs, Henriette
Abstract
The support of under-developed regions is the declared goal of the European Union regional policy. To realize social and economic cohesion all around the EU is still a real and very difficult challenge for the Community. The area of sport may be one of the many options which politicians and development experts should take into consideration to achieve sustainable regional development. Sport as a multinational and global phenomenon has become an significant factor and sector of modern society. It has also become a major social movement in Europe. The Declaration on Sport in the Amsterdam Treaty (1997), the Nice Treaty (2000) and also the Magglingen Declaration (2003) have emphasized the importance of sport's social function. Besides these documents, the consensus among sport sociologists is that there is a need to preserve and promote the functions of sport in the European Union. Considering the multifunctional nature and role of sport, it is difficult to understand why the potential of this sphere has not been utilized as much as it could be, particularly in Hungary. The aim of this paper is to focus attention on this unsatisfactory situation both in theory and in practice.
The research was carried out in two EU regions, in County Vas (Hungary) and in Burgenland (Austria), using a specifically designed questionnaire to measure attitudes towards the involvement and contribution of sport in development planning, using Lickert scales. The sample population included experts working in sport and region development administration: sport development officers (N=38), regional development officers (N=24), mayors and sport journalists (N=31), tourism experts (N=27) and coaches/PE teachers (N=120) in both regions. It was found that the sample population clearly perceive that the requirements and potentials of sport are not being considered as part of the development policies of the different spheres. According to the responses of the sport and development experts, the involvement of different levels of sport in regional development projects is low. The conclusion of the research: sport's contribution to sustainable regional development is not as great as it could be.
The research was carried out in two EU regions, in County Vas (Hungary) and in Burgenland (Austria), using a specifically designed questionnaire to measure attitudes towards the involvement and contribution of sport in development planning, using Lickert scales. The sample population included experts working in sport and region development administration: sport development officers (N=38), regional development officers (N=24), mayors and sport journalists (N=31), tourism experts (N=27) and coaches/PE teachers (N=120) in both regions. It was found that the sample population clearly perceive that the requirements and potentials of sport are not being considered as part of the development policies of the different spheres. According to the responses of the sport and development experts, the involvement of different levels of sport in regional development projects is low. The conclusion of the research: sport's contribution to sustainable regional development is not as great as it could be.
Subjects
Multifunctionality of sport
ustainable development
regional development
social economic cohesion
Type
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel
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