Author: Deregán Gábor

The Polish Olympic Committee’s Fair Play Run – 70,000 joys

Celebrating the World Fair Play Day on 7 September 2021, the Polish Olympic Committee’s Fair Play Club organised a nationwide initiative for children and youths from primary and secondary schools – #POC’sFairPlayRun. The campaign was implemented to promote the idea of fair play and ethical values in sport.

The concept of #POC’sFairPlayRun goes beyond breaking records! It strives to promote the idea of fair play among the biggest number of students possible. The sporting event was teamed up with other educational initiatives. In addition, within specified time frames teachers organised lessons at their schools which were focused on the importance of fair play in sport and life, engaged students in arts and creative projects to make photo stories, videos, posters, art works, fair play codes and even musical pieces.

“We believe that sport that reflects the spirit of fair play shapes the morality of younger and older children, improves education and reinforces promotion of harmony and peace. To highlight this idea, we invited teachers across Poland to take part in the initiative and organise #POC’sFairPlayRun as part of their physical education classes from 7 until 10 September this year,” said Andrzej Kraśnicki, the President of the Polish Olympic Committee.

“#POC’sFairPlayRun staged to celebrate the Word Fair Play Day met with massive interest. The competition was entered by 291 schools from all across Poland, including Polish Olympic Contestants Schools. The initiative was joined by more than 70,000 students,” said Hanna Wawrowska, the Chair of the POC’s Fair Play Club.

“I believe that whilst promoting the idea of fair play today, we should be mainly addressing our message to young people. It’s our best investment in the future. To educate the young generation! Obviously, in order to do that we need the experience and the charisma of great athletes and coaches. Our activities should embrace sporting associations and organisations, the academic community, people of culture, parents and naturally the media without which our mission would be incomplete and lack its massive impact,” added the Chair of Fair Play Club of the Polish Olympic Committee.

The project is implemented as part of nationwide celebrations of the World Fair Play Day.  We hope that on 7 September next year even more young people will join #POC’sFairPlayRun.

““This day is vital as we seek to make the world a better place to live and grow up in through the example of sport in fair play,” said Jeno Kamüti, the President of the International Committee for Fair Play.

 

Selected fragments of highlights from campaign participants:

The Fair Play Run initiative in our school features talks about the impact of the idea of fair play in sport and in our lives. Children were braving the longest distances possible, challenging their weaknesses. I am very glad that thanks to commitment of grade 1 to 3 head teachers, basically the entire school took part in the initiative. We covered approx. 900 km, what translates into more than 1.5 km per student! Teachers joined the fray, too.

Primary School No. 3 in Choszczno

 

We are very excited to be able to take part in this great initiative. All grades from our school were keen to join the run. After the contest, tired but happy and smiling children continued to have fun by open fires. Thank you and all the best.

Students of Primary School in Bukowo

 

The Polish Olympic Committee’s Fair Play Run was held on 7 September at the Polish Olympians Primary School No. 5 in Wałcz. Second and third grade students competed on the Wałcz Euro arena amid scenic views. “The most important thing is not to win, but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well” – goes the Olympic motto quoted by Principal Violetta Kamińska who addressed her words to everyone.

Polish Olympic Contestants Primary School No. 35 in Wałcz

 

Putting competition and rivalry aside, we all ran together for Fair Play. Everyone is a winner. Cheerful and smiling, we strolled back to school.

Stefan Żeromski Public Primary School in Kurozwęki

 

There is a lot of interest in fair play, even though its importance seems to be widely known. We hope that the Fair Play Day will become a permanent fixture on the sporting calendar of Rudniki school.  

Andrzej Wajda Public Primary School in Rudniki

 

You will already know about Fair Play Day, which has been held each year on 7th September for the past 8 years , on the initiative of Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles, in Belgium. As the name suggests, Fair Play Day is designed to defend the values of Fair Play and sporting ethics wherever sport, in all its forms, is played and enjoyed. Fair Play Day also underlines that fact that Fair Play can be promoted by via large-scale programmes, as well as through simple actions and gestures.
Since 2020, Fair Play Day has taken on a global dimension, driven forward by the partnership with international institutions promoting Fair Play, the International Fair Play Committee (CIFP), the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) and Panathlon International (PI), again on the initiative of Belgium’s Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles association. Numerous other international institutions, including the various national Olympic Committees, have added their weight to this celebration of Fair Play through their desire to unite all those involved in the sporting world around a unifying project that promotes the universal values of sport in general.
Through unifying organisations, such as the International Fair Play Committee, the European Fair Play Movement and Panathlon International, the three of which represent more than 120 countries.

So it was that on 7th September of this year, the City of Brussels once again threw open the doors of its Gothic Hall at the famous Town Hall in Brussels to host the 2nd edition of World Fair Play Day.

This second edition of the event again enjoyed the support of leading sporting personalities: the table tennis player, Jean-Michel Saive and the sprinter, Cédric Van Branteghem.

The official presentation to the Manneken Pis of a costume in the colours of World Fair Play Day
The day was also an opportunity for all of the partners in World Fair Play Day to honour the individual who is certainly the best-known ambassador of the City of Brussels: the Manneken Pis, with the presentation of a new costume in the colours of World Fair Play Day.
We can say that the ideal of Fair Play fits the little fellow like a glove – particularly as he had already been presented with a Fair Play Day costume previously by Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles in 2017.

Stars of their individual sports and real contributors in life
This 2nd edition of World Fair Play Day showcased the movement, which is supported by elite sports stars who are involved in the development of society-based projects that illustrate the pathway taken by universal Fair Play.

A number of initiatives revealed to the public that, in addition to their talent, sportsmen and women demonstrate human and civic values in life, both inside and outside sports stadiums, tracks or halls. Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles is proud to have brought the following connections together:
“The White Line” programme of the sprinter, Cynthia Bolingo,
the writing of a book in collaboration with youngsters by the judoka, Lola Mansour, the involvement of the disabled motor racing driver, Nigel Bailly, who visits schools and Public Youth Protection Institutions to tell the story of his own journey with its enormous message of hope: “Believe in your dreams; in life, everything is possible”.

The involvement of athletes in societal-based projects during their career is not a straightforward matter. Elite sport demands a daily workload of training, combined with incessant protocol or media obligations. Through these actions, in which they become involved on behalf of others, they are able to take advantage of the fact they are well known to play an active part, particularly in liberating social groups outside their sporting circles, enhancing their position as role models and establishing themselves as ambassadors for Fair Play.

In days gone by, sportsmen and women tended to conduct their careers separately and it was only after they retired that they used their name for charitable purposes, often locally, at club evenings or federation events. The thing that has changed today is that athletes now manage to conduct their careers and society-related commitments at the same time. Their influence is all the greater, which in turn increases the effect of their actions.

Values
Whereas the age we currently live in revels in easy money, individualism and a sense of ‘every man for himself’, extensively glorifying the sporting spectacle and jaw-dropping contracts of a handful of champions with a high market value, fed by petrodollars, it is essential to remember the essence of sport: being involved, on various types of fields, courts and pitches, in the sporting activities of millions of anonymous people who distinguish themselves each day through actions that magnify the beauty of sport for sport’s sake and the very ideal of mens sana in corpore sano. Sport in which friendship, team spirit, surpassing oneself and mutual respect are the links in a universal chain where everyone involved is inspired by Fair Play. That, at least, is what World Fair Play Day aims to cultivate and promote to all and against all the odds.

Honouring the City of Brussels and the other Belgian winners of the CIFP’s Fair Awards
As the cherry on the cake, the City of Brussels was awarded the Willi Daume Trophy by the International Fair Play Committee for its actions to promote Fair-Play in 2020. This is a world first that showcases an individual city as a Fair Play city. The Willi Daume Trophy is the highest level of international recognition regarding the promotion of Fair Play. The award was presented by Dr. Jenő Kamuti, President of the International Fair Play Committee.

« As a former sportsman, I fully agree with the indispensable benefits of fair play in the sports world. Beautiful moments often follow it. Thanks to Panathlon Wallonie – Bruxelles, the International Day of Fair Play is now recognized worldwide. The City of Brussels is fully in line with these values and makes them an indispensable basis for the practice of sport », adds Philippe Close, Mayor of the City of Brussels.

« It is a real honor for the City of Brussels to be awarded for its efforts towards promoting the spirit of fair play. We are thrilled to having been associated with the creation of this international day. We hope that, in the future, we will be able to play our part in the promotion of those common values among all athletes ». Benoit Hellings, First Alderman City of Brussels in charge of Climate and Sports.

In fact, the International Fair Play Committee has been presenting the Fair Play Awards in various categories since 1964: for an act of Fair Play, the promotion of Fair Play, sportsmanship throughout a career and Fair Play for youth.

The International Fair Play Committee’s 2020 list of Fair Play Awards gives pride of place to our country. In addition to the City of Brussels, there were now fewer than 6 other Belgian winners whose names are now inscribed in gold letters on the CIFP Roll of Honour:
Soignies Rugby Club – World Fair Play certificate of the Willy Daume Prize – Category: Promotion
The municipality of Profondeville – also a winner of the World Fair Play certificate of the Willy Daume Prize – Category: Promotion
The youngsters at the Lycée Jean Jaurès in Charleroi – also rewarded with the World Fair Play certificate of the Willy Daume Prize – Category: Promotion
François Poull – also a winner of the World Fair Play certificate of the Willy Daume Prize – Category: Promotion
Keevin Malcourant – who received the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Day certificate – Category: Act of Fair Play
And Panathlon Wallonie-Bruxelles – World Fair Play certificate of the Willy Daume Prize – Category: Promotion

The second World Fair Play Day was celebrated all over the world. Founders make further efforts to reach and cooperate with more organizations in next year’s celebration.

Every year, September 7 is the day that sports organizations, athletes, coaches and sports leaders who feel the spirit of fair play commemorate fair play. The International Fair Play Committee celebrated this day with a broadcasted live show from Budapest this year.

If you missed it, watch  the program on CIFP’s YouTube channel here: World Fair Play Day online celebration 

The Presidents of the four founding organizations sent message as well as several international sport leaders. You can watch the reports about different sport events, and listen interesting discussions about Fair Play.

To mark the 2nd World Fair Play Day (WFPD), and to encourage people to take on a physical activity despite the pandemic, the European Fair Play Movement in cooperation with ASKÖ (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Sport und Körperkultur in Österreich), the Austrian EFPM member organisation and KFP SOSV (Club fair play of the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee) launched the challenge “100 DAYS FOR FAIR PLAY “. The challenge started on May 31, 2021, precisely 100 days before the 2nd WFPD taking place in Budapest on 7. September 2021. We invited participating teams to accomplish the distance of 1,275km, equivalent to the distance from Brussels to Budapest- where the first WFPD took place. We encouraged all participating teams to post their progress, and also to post a message of FAIR PLAY (photo, image, video, banner etc.) on the EFPM Facebook page (www.facebook.com/EuropeanFairPlay/). Sports enthusiasts from 5 countries took part in the challenge: from Turkey, Austria, Poland, Belgium and Slovakia. Some teams were busier and faster than others, but all participants displayed a great deal of enthusiasm and motivation. This is also documented by the fact that from 27 teams, 13 reached the imaginary goal – Budapest. Moreover, the participants of the challenge – some on bicycles, others running, swimming or simply walking, covered altogether more than 53,000 km in 100 days.

The victory went to the Turkish team “THE GENTLEMEN OF MÜLKIYE”, which was the first to reach the required distance. The team members not only share a 20-year-old friendship and love of sport, but also the effort to spread humane values.

Students from the Secondary Sports School in Košice (SVK) finished second. The team included two young cyclists, Marek and Florián, and the triathlete Peter. They were coached by their very active teachers and coaches, Marcel Nemec and Juraj Dancák.

The representatives of ASKÖ Kärnten (AUT) and the Fair Play Team of the University of Physical Education in Warsaw (POL) were also some of the most hard-working teams.

All participants showed enthusiasm and motivation. This is further documented by the fact that from 27 teams, 13 reached the imaginary finish line in Budapest. Through different sports – cycling, running, swimming or simply walking, in total, they covered more than 53,000 km in 100 days.

All participating teams who also became ambassadors for fairness and tolerance, spreading the message of fairness towards your peers and the environment, promoting the written and unwritten rules of humanity, tolerance, solidarity and friendship – in short, fair play.

One week later, on 7 September, the international sport society will celebrate the World Fair Play Day again.

We feel honored for the many partners who signed the Manifesto and who will make local celebration.

We produced a Toolkit to facilitate the preparation. Please, find it here: SBT – Final World Fair Play Day 7th Sept things to do – toolkit

World Fair Play Day program is always open for new partners. We kindly wait for your application!

It’s always amazing to see the enthusiastic children, which is due to the guidance of teachers. More than important to present and understand the Fair Play values to next generations. children are our future! Thank you for the whole community of Sainte-Croix Primary School to join the World Fair Play Day!