2024: A year in review by sportanddev

January

• The UN's Division for Inclusive Social Development issued a call for organisations to contribute to the UN Secretary General's bi-annual report on sport for development and peace.
• ​​​​​​​The European Commission released its report on the contribution of sport to the European Green Deal, while the sporting World pledged to support the inclusion and protection of refugees.
• sportanddev celebrated the appointment of Professor Marion Keim as as the new Chair of the sportanddev Steering Board, taking over from Ben Howard, who served as chair for over 3 years. 

February

• The United Nations-backed GameChangers event took place in Rio's underprivileged communities, facilitated by the Jadir Taekwondo Association to foster social inclusion and empowerment.
• The English Football League and its official match ball partner PUMA introduced a first-ever rainbow ball as part of the UK’s LGBT+ History Month in their efforts to signal that football is for everyone.
• Following the success of sportanddev's MOOC on Sport for Sustainable Development, we launched the course in three additional United Nations official languages – French, Spanish and Arabic.

March

• The annual Fundraising in Sport for Development: State of the Sector Report was released by Oaks Consultancy. 
• As part of the upcoming 2024 Olympic preparations the International Olympic Committee announced equal gender distribution of female and male athletes (50/50) for the first time in Olympic history.
• The Sport for Refugees Coalition (SfRC) held its kick-off meeting, marking the beginning of a new four-year cycle of the coalition following the Global Refugee Forum in December 2023 (GRF).

April

• The 11th International Day of Sport for Development and Peace took place, presenting a critical opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future.
• The True Athlete Project established a scholarship to honour the game-changing work of Eli Wolff, who passed away in 2023.
• As part of the International Day of Sport for Development, Tibu Africa partnered with UEFA and others to facilitate the Sports Generation Festival in Morocco. 

May

• In response to the growing conflict in the Palestinian Territories, sportanddev published a reflective article by Generation Amazing Youth Advocate Bader Alzaharna.
• The European Commission adopted a report on the implementation and relevance of the European Union Work Plan for Sport 2021-2024.
• Women's Sports Foundation published research demonstrating the power of sport in improving the mental health of young girls.
• sportanddev's Spanish-language Consultant Beatriz Elena Mejía Restrepo wrote a report on Colombia's efforts to harness sport in combating victimisation and violence in the country (Lee en español).

June

• The World Health Organization (WHO) published an alarming report highlighting the record-high rates of physical inactivity. 
• In a compelling video series, athletes from across Europe reflected on the impact that Special Olympics has had on their lives.
• The Policy Advocacy in Sport and Society (PASS) survey was launched to solicit public input on the process of formal policy sports advocacy.
• The sportanddev Steering Board unanimously appointed Dr Ben Sanders as Executive Director of the platform.

July

• The Olympic Games kicks off in Paris, raising the profile of sport as an important enabler of positive change. It was also forecast to be hottest Olympics in history, with potentially deadly consequences.
• The Afghanistan Women's Cricket team exiled in Australia appealed to the ICC in an open letter to support the formation of a team independent of Taliban control.
• sportanddev and partners published a report on reshaping sport and development, providing key insights on how sport can better serve society.
• sportanddev, the Commonwealth and the African Union partnered to deliver the first hybrid global online course on Sport for Sustainable Development to government officials. 

August

• The Paralympic Games were highlighted as a catalyst for improving access to assistive technology, underscoring the need for inclusive innovation in sport.
• In a controversy that reignited debates on freedom of expression in sport, the IOC faced pressure to reinstate an athlete disqualified for speaking out on gender equity.
• Amid ongoing conflict, community leaders in the West Bank and Gaza used sport to empower local communities, promoting resilience and social cohesion.
• At the 11th Commonwealth Sport Ministers Meeting, sportanddev received recognition for its contributions to sport for development and policy advocacy.
• In a major investment for the future of sport-led social change, a multi-million-dollar Olympism365 Innovation Hub was launched to drive global initiatives for social impact.
• Reaffirming the role of sport in addressing global challenges, world leaders at the Paris Summit pledged billions towards sport for development programmes.

September

• Expanding its digital footprint, sportanddev launched an Instagram account to increase engagement and awareness in the sector.
• Reinforcing the Olympic movement’s role in education and peacebuilding, the Paris 2024 Declaration was unveiled, promoting Olympic values and the contribution of sport to global development.
• Seeking to challenge outdated narratives, the #BeyondThisLand initiative used digital storytelling to reshape perceptions of disability sport in Africa.

October

• Despite the realities of war and disability, children in Gaza were reported as embracing roller-skating, demonstrating resilience and the power of play in adversity.
• Harnessing artificial intelligence to advance sport for development, sportanddev and READY launched Discover AI, a new initiative to leverage technology for social impact through sport.
• With a focus on refugee inclusion, the Dreamers training programme commenced its first phase, promoting integration and health through advanced sporting education.
• Following the landmark gender balance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, an op-ed examined what steps must be taken to ensure long-term progress in gender equity in sport.
• A new study questioned the impact of elite competition on grassroots participation, revealing that success at the Olympic Games does not result in higher levels of sport participation.
• The World Table Tennis for Health Festival reported record-breaking registration numbers, reflecting a growing global interest in table tennis as a tool for health promotion.

November

• Seeking to shape the future of technology in sport, a consultation on the role of AI in sport for development invited stakeholders to share insights before the 8 December deadline.
• Building on the intersection of psychology and environmental action, a new report explored how behavioural science could accelerate climate action in sport
• The 2024 United Nations secretary-general’s report on sport for development and peace urges increased collaboration and greater impact in sport for development.
• In a move to democratise access to digital gaming, a grassroots esports project was launched alongside a free online course.

December

• In an effort to deepen regional dialogue, sportanddev concluded the call for articles on the topic of strengthening sport for development and peace in the Middle East and North Africa.

Looking forward

2025 marks a transformative year for sportanddev as we work to strengthen our work and reshape sport and development so that sport plays a greater role in contributing to development and peace. 

We will streamline our user onboarding and content submission processes for all new languages, allowing everyone from practitioners to policymakers across the globe to contribute and share knowledge for the good of the S4D sector. We appreciate your continued support and encourage you to get involved.