Major sports events bring joy and a sense of community. However, they have a strong environmental, social and economic impact. It is fundamental to ensure that such events are as sustainable as possible. Sustainability in sport is a fundamental principle of both the Council of Europe’s European Sports Charter and the Olympic Charter.

As stated in the European Sports Charter (Article 9): “The principle of sustainability in sport requires all activities to be economically, socially and environmentally sustainable, in particular:

1. when planning, implementing and evaluating their activities, organisers of sports activities and events should pay due consideration to sustainability […];
2. […] the [sporting goods] industry should take responsibility for developing and integrating practices that are satisfactory in social terms and are environmentally friendly;
3. […] owners of sports infrastructure have to act proactively to identify the effects and consequences of their facilities, avoid potential damage to nature and, where necessary, take counter- and protective measures against such risks;
4. the organisation of major sports events should ensure a sustainable legacy for the hosting communities with regard to their economic, social and environmental impact, in particular to balance the financial cost of the infrastructure with its post-event use and the effect on participation in sport.”

The Olympic Charter (Article 2) affirms that “The IOC’s role is […] to encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the Olympic Games are held accordingly.”

On the occasion of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) is devoting a series to highlight the common values of the European Sports Charter and the Olympic Charter. Each week until the end of the Games, we will focus on one aspect of these values. Follow @CoE_Sports on X to learn more!