“The impact of the covid emergency on the sports sector has been and will be very heavy. We have drawn up a survey on over 34 thousand associations which shows a sports system in great difficulty but which does everything to react. 8% of those who did not had reopened has ceased activity. The sports collaborators we supported with the bonus will also be affected, 27% asd and ssd will make use of the same number of pre-Covid collaborators while 42% plan to cease activity within the year. The situation is very complicated “. This is the photograph of the situation of the Italian sports system taken by the president and CEO of Sport and Health, Vito Cozzoli, during his speech at the digital event ‘Sport at the center of the restart of the country – Hypothesis and perspectives for a cultural revolution’ promoted by Asi, Italian Sports and Social Associations, in collaboration with Adnkronos Comunicazione and Ciwas, the Italian Confederation of Wellness and Sports Activities for Health. “Sport and health is monitoring and trying to support sport. Dreaming and thinking about the future, physical distance did not have a parachute to fill relational gaps, at this moment the quality of life must be maintained. The 100 thousand sports clubs are the social and civil framework of the country in all 8 thousand Italian municipalities “, continues Cozzoli.” We all find ourselves experiencing these difficulties but we have realized how much sport can do to improve the quality of life we live in. Sport is central to a a cohesive community, sport is by definition green, circular, meritocratic and produces well-being. However, the reopening is above all a cultural factor: it is necessary to relaunch the country, network and team sports must be created for a different but also better future than the one before the pandemic “, he continues. “Primary school must be the starting point to strengthen the culture of sport, not only as physical activity, we have 20 million Italians who play sports but 40 million sedentary people, we must bring them to play sports”, adds Cozzoli. “Technology and digital must not be considered competitors but allies of sport, let’s think about the use of apps in gyms, the sports facilities that were digitalized have worked harder. Technology also helps to manage better, an ally that cannot be done without – underlines the n.1 of Sport and Health-. With regard to sports venues, we have surveyed 77 thousand sports facilities that need to be rethought and updated to practice sports and enhanced for social propensity “.” Through sport there is scientific evidence consolidated statements that show how one euro invested produces 4 euro of savings in health care costs. We can produce huge resources for the reduction of the costs of access to sport . These are not dreams but reachable prospects but only by enhancing the systemic action of sport putting aside personalities to imagine a different future. Sport and health will always be available to play as a team “, concludes Cozzoli.
