SOPROS – Social Protection for Athletes in Olympic Sports
About the SOPROS Project
SOPROS (Assessing, Evaluating, and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports) is an international project funded under the Erasmus+ program (ERASMUS-SPORT-2022-SCP). Its goal is to assess, evaluate, and implement effective social protection measures for Olympic athletes, ensuring better employment conditions, health insurance, and pension security.
The project addresses critical socio-economic challenges faced by elite athletes. Public debates and academic research highlight gaps in social support systems, including inadequate pension schemes, limited healthcare coverage, and slow progress in maternity protection policies. SOPROS aims to develop a comprehensive approach to safeguarding athletes’ rights and improving governance standards within the European sports model.
Project Objectives
- Assess the current state of social protection for athletes – analyze existing policies and national and EU-level frameworks.
- Evaluate and compare social protection at national and European levels – produce an in-depth report assessing the effectiveness of current regulations.
- Implement concrete actions – develop strategies and tools to enhance the social protection of athletes at different levels of sports governance.
- Promote social dialogue and negotiation – establish a platform for discussions between athletes, sports organizations, and public institutions.
Expected Outcomes and Long-Term Impact
- Enhanced social protection for athletes – introduction of practical tools, such as Self-Assessment Tools, to evaluate and improve social care standards.
- Support for sports organizations and policymakers – development of policy recommendations at national and European levels.
- Education and awareness-raising – creation of training materials and educational programs for sports organizations and public authorities.
- Advancement of the European sports model – implementation of systemic changes to governance and social protection for athletes.
Read about the progress of SOPROS so far
- Self-Assessment Tool.
- Project Meeting in Paryżu – January 2025.
- What Does Your Organization Do for Athletes’ Social Protection?
Project Partners
SOPROS is implemented by a consortium of universities and sports organizations, including:
- Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln (Germany) – project coordinator
- Fundacja Institute for Sport Governance (Poland)
- European Elite Athletes Association (Netherlands)
- Sveučilište u Rijeci, Pravni Fakultet (Croatia)
- Edge Hill University (United Kingdom)
- Sport Evolution Alliance CRL (Portugal)
- Association Européenne des Employeurs du Sport (France)
- European Olympic Academies (Germany)
- International Labour Organization (ILO) (Switzerland).
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🔗 Learn more about SOPROS – project website
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 (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
