Accessible Sport in Europe
The European Commission recently updated the European Parliament on progress under the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030, including developments linked to the Accessible EU initiative. The Commission reiterated that persons with disabilities must be able to participate fully and independently in all areas of life, with a strong emphasis on sport as a key setting for accessibility and social inclusion. Sport clubs were highlighted as important spaces where improvements are still needed, both in infrastructure and in enabling meaningful participation, alongside calls for stronger Member State engagement and cooperation.
In addition, on 5 March, the Commissioner for Equality responded to a parliamentary question on equal access for children with disabilities, including in sport. The exchange pointed to persistent accessibility gaps and confirmed that EU funding tools such as ESF+, the Recovery and Resilience Facility, and Erasmus+ are being used to support improvements, including in sport settings, while the EU Strategy will be further reinforced from 2026.
