July 2025 with ISG: sport that doesn’t shy away from difficult questions
Can sport truly be responsible? Can innovation exist without infrastructure? Do athletes deserve social protection? Is sustainability more than just PR?
At the Institute for Sport Governance, July 2025 was shaped by questions that the sports sector must begin to answer — with courage, expertise, and long-term vision.
It was a month in which we didn’t just observe change — we took part in shaping it.
Good Governance in practice – launching the ACTION guide
In July, we launched a new educational series, “Good Governance for Beginners” — a user-friendly guide to the European Code of Good Governance in Sport, developed as part of the ACTION project, which ISG coordinates.
The guide outlines five key pillars:
- Effective General Assembly – democracy in practice and real oversight.
- Legitimate Board – transparent elections, diversity, and clear conflict of interest rules.
- Active Board – regular work, public decision-making, stakeholder dialogue.
- Accountable Federation – accessible statutes, audits, and financial reporting.
- Responsible Federation – ethical, inclusive, equitable, and environmentally conscious actions.
Each pillar was presented with practical examples, visuals, and specific principles.
Stay tuned — a comprehensive guide to Good Governance will be released soon.
SOPROS: social protection is not a privilege — it’s a right
In July, we published the final report of the SOPROS project — Assessing, Evaluating and Implementing Athletes’ Social Protection in Olympic Sports — with ISG as academic lead.
This is the first comprehensive analysis of the state of social protection for Olympic athletes across Europe.
The report reveals:
- In many countries, athletes are not recognized as workers, despite full-time training and national representation.
- Access to healthcare, pensions, and protection from exclusion is inconsistent, limited, and often arbitrary.
- There is a lack of systemic support for post-career transition.
The study covered five countries: Poland, Germany, Croatia, Portugal, and the UK.
The Polish case study, authored by Phd Paweł Zembura (ISG), exposes serious legal gaps that put athletes at risk of marginalization after their careers end.
In August, we will release the Polish-language edition of the report, along with a public awareness campaign to initiate debate and push for real legislative reform.
Athletes are not just role models — they are also workers, citizens, and people.
We encourage you to read the full report. This is just the beginning — step by step, we are building a culture of responsible and transparent sport.
Football vs. the planet – a collision we can’t afford
The new Club World Cup format was designed to be a global statement of football’s dominance. From 7 to 32 teams. From a regional tournament to something close to a second World Cup.
Instead of excitement, it sparked concern.
Midday matches, open-air stadiums without climate controls, pitch temperatures exceeding 30°C, players collapsing from heat, and fans leaving stadiums due to extreme weather — these aren’t organizational hiccups.
They are urgent warning signs.
At ISG, we say it clearly: sustainability cannot be a buzzword on FIFA slides. It must guide real decisions — fewer matches, climate-resilient infrastructure, and a focus on player health.
This tournament showed:
- More does not mean better — not for athletes, not for fans.
- Popularity is not immunity — ignoring climate change undermines credibility.
- Marketing cannot replace responsibility — we need new definitions of success in sport.
Sport innovation – strong ideas need stronger support
In July, we also addressed one of the most pressing challenges: how do we support sport innovations before they disappear into a drawer?
The problem isn’t a lack of ideas — it’s a lack of support:
- No dedicated funding for sport innovation.
- Complex application procedures.
- No infrastructure for mentoring, partnerships, or project development.
That’s why we advocate for clear, actionable solutions:
- Building consortia — universities, clubs, and startups applying together.
- Creating local “innovation helpdesks” for sport project support.
- Accessing cross-sectoral funds (LIFE, Erasmus+, structural funds).
Sport innovation is not a cost — it’s an investment.
If we want a modern, resilient, and inclusive sport sector, we must invest in people, ideas, and systems.
Sport and CSR – a new language of responsibility
The “Responsible Business in Poland 2024” report, published by the Responsible Business Forum, confirms what we see in our work: sport is becoming a real tool for social impact.
Companies are moving beyond event sponsorship toward integrated CSR and ESG strategies built around sport.
Key trends include:
- Workplace wellbeing programs that promote physical activity.
- Integration of refugees and minorities through community-based sport.
- Employee sport volunteering initiatives.
- Support for disadvantaged youth in sport.
- Leadership and values education through sport.
For us, this represents a new model of business responsibility — one rooted in long-term, authentic engagement.
Sport becomes a bridge — between companies, communities, and future-ready leadership.
Summary: July 2025 with ISG
This month has shown that sport today is more than competition — it’s a mirror of the choices we make as a society.
At ISG, we don’t shy away from the difficult topics. We address them — because that’s the only way to drive change.
Thank you to all our partners, experts, participants, and observers who stood with us this month.
We are transforming sport — with responsibility, professionalism, and vision.
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