EU AFFAIRS
Advancing Through EU Support The start of the year is traditionally a busy one for EuropeActive’s Brussels, and 2025 has been no exception. A significant amount of effort has been dedicated to finalising newly ended European projects, to keep the ball rolling for those ongoing, and to preparing future collaborations through new application submissions.
The European Week of Clean Sport (EWCS) Conference On 30 January 2025, EuropeActive hosted the final European Week of Clean Sport (EWCS) Conference in Brussels. The event brought together leaders from anti-doping authorities, the fitness and physical activity sector, public health representatives, and policymakers to advance the shared goal of promoting clean sport, physical activity, and fitness, and to discuss the steep evolution of doping trends in these environments. The event showcased the EWCS Campaign conceptualisation, implementation and evaluation, and showcased the variety of different activities and events that brought the campaign to life across partner countries thanks to the National Anti-Doping Agencies of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Portugal. The roundtable’s focus was opportune, as it discussed current doping trends in recreational sport, physical activity and fitness, and benefitted from quality speakers. Moderated by Professor Mike McNamee, the panel featured April Henning (Associate Professor & Head of Research, Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University), Henk Jan Thoes (Product Director, Basic-Fit), and Fredrik Lauritzen (Science Director, Anti-Doping Norway). Key topics included identifying high-risk environments, such as gyms and online spaces, the growing normalisation of doping for aesthetic purposes, and fostering synergies between anti-doping and fitness initiatives. The discussion also examined how fitness centres can address these challenges while remaining focused on their core mission of promoting and enabling healthy lifestyles. All project deliverables are now available for consultation, offering greater insight into the campaign’s key components and achievements- valuable information for those potentially interested in partnering in this grassroots anti-doping campaign.
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