sportanddev sits down with Chris Middleton

has helped build bridges between individuals involved in the field of sport and development (S&D), and has contributed to a certain sense of belonging within this growing community. I cannot recall the number of thankful comments from individuals who had the impression they were doing their part in their own community, and after coming across sportanddev, realised there were hundreds of like-minded people sharing the same passion.

In more general terms, I would say the Platform has helped shape the field of S&D by providing a permanent reference point for this field. With daily news published on the site, and a couple of thousand members, I believe this site has become a pillar for this field, a place where information can be obtained for free, and a place where networking can take place 365 days a year.

2. What are the main challenges you think the Platform and the wider sport and development community will face in the future?

The grim economic context is affecting the funding of sport for development initiatives, so I would say the availability of financial resources could be seen as the most challenging trend.

One way to address this challenge is to sensitise new audiences to the idea of sport for development. Going to the same conferences, meeting the same people, and debating about the same subjects gives me the impression we’re turning in circles at times. There are extremely promising developments in this regard, with elite sports clubs, athletes, representatives from the private sector which are newcomers to this S&D game. It is crucial that these new players enter this game, else we’ll keep on preaching to the converted.

But in order for them to enter the game, they need to be convinced it is worth playing… It is thus our responsibility to be able to demonstrate the impact of sport for development programmes, but also to communicate about this in an adequate way. The dissemination of good practice is one of the key functions of sportanddev, so I definitely see a future role for this initiative in this regard.

3. You have a wealth of experience in sport and development both in the field and as a member of the Platform’s Operating Team. What advice would you give to users of the platform so they can better utilise the website?

I would actually borrow one of the fundamental principles from Mathare Youth Sports Association (MYSA), one of the most inspiring initiatives I was fortunate enough to come across. MYSA defines itself as a self-help youth programme combining sports, environmental awareness, and leadership skills. This initiative involves thousands of youth in disadvantaged areas of Nairobi, Kenya. As such, their key message is: “You do something, MYSA does something; you do nothing, MYSA does nothing.”

So to answer your question, I would say the same to the users of the Platform: they’ll only get the most out of the Platform if they do their part (i.e. collect stories from the field, announce their tournaments, share their press releases). Sportanddev.org should thus be considered as a free opportunity to highlight one’s work, a tool that will help organisations working in the most remote areas reach out to thousands of interested readers and potential partners.

4. What was the most amusing request you ever received via the Platform?

It’s really hard to pick one specific request, after getting thousands of emails related to the Platform, but at times I had the impression I was becoming an agent for young football players. I would receive photos and the latest statistics from young football players, from Argentina to Zimbabwe, and was then requested to find clubs for these promising youth. Maybe I missed my true career!

More seriously, I don’t want to minimise the international trading of football players. This is a serious issue that needs to be regulated. It certainly illustrates how challenging it is to define this idea of sport for development, and how fuzzy the boundaries are. After all, numerous communities worldwide benefit from having their local stars shine on the international scene. On my side, I hope I’ll recognise one of these youth watching the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and continue to think I would have made a lousy football agent.