INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC ACADEMY 7th JOINT - IOA

employment, it has guided all the initiatives to promote environmental
protection in the last decades.
Sport and environment: two -way relationship
Sport, like many other human activities, has its own two-way
relationship with the environment in a short or long-term impact. In
short, sport plays the role of perpetrator and victim in its relationship
with nature environment. Thus far, sport has been included in the
needs of sustainability. And since 1992 most International
Federations, National Olympic Committees and top sport
organizations have committed to sharing responsibilities of
sustainability.
The practice of sport includes activities at different levels. It
ranges from persons who occasionally engage in sport activities and
physical education to elite athletes, from small clubs to international
federations, from local competitions to championships and large-scale
events such as the Olympic Games.
The sport’s practice implies a structured organisation, sports
facilities and equipment, logistics and sponsors, media, and those who
practice. But it also implies the physical and behavioural effects that
the sport’s practice will bring to people’s lives. Potentially, sports
practice can generate various impacts on the ecosystem, as much as
the environment can affect it. This can range from insignificant
repercussions to major influence, with positive or negative
implications.
Sustainability and Sport Events: an educational legacy
One of the major concerns on promoting sustainability in sports
practice refers to sports events. Unsurprisingly, the International
Olympic Committee has been promoting sustainability in recent years.
Therefore, the Olympic Movement has the responsibility of
addressing environmental issues and integrating its actions within the
framework of sustainable development.
Following the invitation extended to all international, regional and
local organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, to
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