Sport today is much more than championships, cups and medals. It is a social tool, a means of improving the health of both citizens and society, a means of integration and inclusion, a global channel for transmitting messages and improving the country’s image. Sports and regular exercise offer a healthy option for all members of society, from toddlers to seniors. An option that is increasingly beneficial to the health of not only citizens (“exercise is medicine”), but society as a whole. This is very relevant for our country, which in the latest Eurobarometer ranks second in the frequency of systematic exercise among the EU countries, while we also have a very high level of childhood obesity.

In another dimension, sport contributes to the formation of a positive image of our country through the success of Greek athletes, since in the last century it has been an established international arena of competition between states with great social impact.

In addition, sports through sports tourism and thanks to the favorable climate, morphology, mountainous and insular nature of our country can become a strong engine of economic development, especially for Greece, which includes some of the most important sports attractions in the world (Olympia, Marathon, Panathinaikos stadium) . etc.), while Athens belongs to the small club of Olympic cities.

Finally, our country, as the birthplace of value-based sport, has an important role to play in all international forums, especially today, when the issues of integrity in sports are high on the international agenda, after the scandals that have affected sports (doping, corruption, contractual matches, violence, abuse, bad management, etc.). Ancient heritage aside, without modern Greece and the revival of the Olympic Games, the sporting movement might not have been what we know today. That is why our country occupies a privileged position in the sports movement, which it should further exploit by taking the lead in matters of values ​​as well as in matters of sports diplomacy, especially in a turbulent, international period such as the one we are going through. passes.

For all the above reasons, I believe that the development of healthy sport is a matter of public interest for Greece, as it affects many aspects of social and national well-being. Starting from health (physical and mental), dissemination of values ​​(equality, tolerance for diversity, non-discrimination, meritocracy, solidarity, respect, etc.), economic development through sports tourism (using global attractions, climate, morphology) and finally , the international image of the country (the presence of Greek athletes in international competitions and Greek actors in international decision-making centers), sport covers a wide range of beneficial activities for citizens, society and the country as a whole.

* Mr. Giorgos Mavrotas is the General Secretary of Sports.