European regions are accelerating policy improvements to position community sports as a strategic tool for health resilience and social inclusion. This shift was at the centre of high-level policy workshops and seminars held by the Region of Attica in Athens on 3–4 February 2026, where KMOP contributed its expertise to discussions on strengthening regional policies across Europe.
The activities-part of the SportsCom project- brought together policymakers and representatives from five European regional authorities. Participants exchanged knowledge and good practices on how community-based sport can be structurally embedded into regional health and social inclusion policies — particularly to benefit vulnerable groups, older adults, youth at risk, and low-income communities.
In this context, KMOP provided technical expertise in social policy design, supporting regional authorities in developing policies to make community sport a key driver of healthier and more resilient communities.
From Policy Dialogue to Practice
To complement policy discussions, participants visited emblematic public spaces for sports and physical activity in Athens, including the National Garden, the Fokianos Sports Center and the Panathenaic Stadium. These visits demonstrated how accessible urban infrastructure can function as inclusive hubs for community sport and everyday physical activity, reinforcing the link between public space design and health resilience.
The insights gathered in Athens will contribute to the ongoing revision and improvement of regional policy instruments over the next two years, ensuring measurable progress in expanding inclusive community sport initiatives across participating regions.
About SportsCom
Through the SportsCom Project, KMOP supports regional authorities in redesigning policy instruments to strengthen citizens’ health resilience through inclusive and intergenerational community sports systems.
The partnership brings together the Porto Metropolitan Area (Portugal), the Regional Development Agency Backa Ltd. Novi Sad (Serbia), the Regional Development Fund of Attica (Greece), the Krakow Metropolis Association (Poland), the Municipality of Heerenveen (Netherlands) and the Nyíregyháza Municipality (Hungary).
SportsCom is funded by INTERREG Europe.