Physical activity, a common good
- Article
- 05 Oct 2026
Moving together, in every form: Œuvre Nationale clarifies its vision of sports and physical activity.
© Aurélie Costantini
Walking, dancing, playing outdoors or training with a club: these forms of movement have one thing in common — they benefit everyone, well beyond sporting performance. This is the idea behind the new definition of the Sports & Health domain, developed by the Sports & Health Committee together with the Sports & Health Advisory Committee and a workshop led by SNAKKE, then approved by the Board of Directors.
Beyond elite sport: movement for everyone
Œuvre supports elite sport through the funding it allocates to the COSL. Organised sport remains an essential part of this, but not the only one: walking, dancing, outdoor games, gentle gymnastics, and team or individual sports all have their place too. The new definition approved by the Board of Directors clarifies this vision and adds further criteria.
With this inclusive approach, the projects supported contribute, depending on their nature, to improving people's physical and mental health, and to strengthening social ties and quality of life — for everyone, regardless of age, ability, background or life situation.
Four criteria guiding Œuvre's support
Projects supported by Œuvre in this domain must meet one or more of the following four criteria:
- Prevention — projects that use physical activity as a health prevention tool, for all ages and life stages.
- Inclusion, integration, access and participation — removing the financial, physical, cultural or geographical barriers that keep some people from being active, with particular attention to women's sport.
- Collective well-being, social connection and quality of life — movement as a space for meeting, sharing and supporting mental health.
- Safeguarding — a protective environment free from violence, discrimination or abuse, with coaches and supervisors trained on these issues, in both federated sport and informal initiatives.
This new definition does not cover medical, therapeutic or rehabilitative care, which falls under the healthcare system rather than Œuvre's Sport & Health domain.