On Tuesday, April 28, the Regional Olympic and Sports Committee of Centre-Val de Loire organized the 3rd edition of the “Towards a Responsible Sport Coalition Forum” with Olivier Debargue, the purchasing director for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as guest of honor.
The conference room at CESI in Orleans was packed for this forum promoting action in favor of ecological transition in the sports industry, organized by the Regional Olympic and Sports Committee. This event highlighted the awareness of the role of sports in this increasingly pressing battle. Federation and club leaders in various sports, as well as sports movement actors and local authorities, demonstrated their commitment to both adapting sports practices to climate change and reducing the ecological impact of sports.
Mohamed Amjahdi, the regional director of Ademe, highlighted the visible impact of climate change on sports, including equipment evolution and accessibility, as well as the influence of changing weather conditions on sports practices.
Transitioning in the environmental sector also involves implementing low-carbon strategies, particularly in sports events. Olivier Debargue presented the responsible purchasing policy implemented during the Paris 2024 Olympics, emphasizing the focus on minimal environmental impact, turning the Paris Olympics into a benchmark for environmental responsibility. The strategy included a combination of sports, ecology, and societal innovation, notably involving social economy enterprises.
Other testimonials at the forum included Isabelle Sadot, former cycling champion and current waste management coordinator in the Gatine-Racan community, who developed a policy for collecting and recycling used sports equipment to educate practitioners about ecological and climate transition issues.
The conclusion of the forum by Jérémie Godet, vice-president of the region, emphasized the importance of coalitions as drivers of societal transformation in the face of the climate challenge, recognizing initiatives that combine sports, ecology, and social innovation.
For more information: – The future of sports lies in youth engagement.
