The world of associations actually nonetheless weighs closely on the French sporting panorama, however it’s exceptionally overstretched. The well being disaster in 2020 and 2021 is not any stranger to it, reinforcing already rising developments: a decline within the variety of licensees, the erosion of the ranks of volunteers and even modifications in sports activities practices. A lot in order that at this time, when public authorities, due to the Olympic and Paralympic Video games, are pressuring the French to do extra sport, the query arises concerning the sector’s skill to answer these varied challenges and to evolve.
That is the conclusion, particularly, of a examine of the sports activities sector printed by Groupe BPCE on Thursday 26 January. “The associative world faces challenges each in its practices and governancenotes Alain Tourdjam, analysis and foresight director of the mutual banking group. And this is the actual factor: does this associative world have the power to meet up with what was already taking place earlier than the well being disaster? »
“The years 2000-2020 have been characterised by three developments: the ceiling in observe (particularly the licensed one), the diversification of observe varieties and aspirations of practitioners, the deinstitutionalization of practices”, additionally drew consideration to the Middle for Legislation and Economics of Sport (CDES) in a examine on the expectations and wishes of sports activities stakeholders, printed in Could 2022. The latter invoked the associative mannequin and membership observe “displaying the primary indicators of shortness of breath, generally exacerbated by the well being disaster.”
Fewer licensees and volunteers
The world of associations drains 20% of French sportsmen: in keeping with figures cited by the BPCE, 365,000 sports activities associations have 14.4 million licensees (finish of 2021). He’s removed from insignificant. However that membership has fallen sharply: − 22% in comparison with 2019, or 4 million fewer licensees, in keeping with the BPCE, which estimates “indicators of decline within the observe of associations have been already felt in 2017”.
“2018 is the primary vital lower within the variety of sports activities licenses (-70,000)”, for its half, CDES defined in its examine, pointing to an extra 7% lower in licenses in 2020. “most likely an indication of affirmation of this pattern.”
Within the autumn of 2022, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the Minister of Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Video games, within the presence of senators and deputies, needed to reassure her. “The variety of licensees might return to pre-crisis ranges and even surpass due to the momentum of the Olympic Video games.” she mentioned.
Sharp decline in licenses amongst ladies over 30
The well being disaster has led to a better lower within the variety of ladies licensed by sports activities federations than within the case of associative sports activities practices amongst males: – 22% from 2019 for the previous, i.e. 1.4 million licenses not renewed; – 19% for the latter, in keeping with BPCE knowledge. But when the lower is similar amongst women and men beneath 30 (-20%), then from this age the hole widens. The BPCE examine exhibits that sports activities federations have misplaced 1 / 4 of girls aged 30-44, 28% of girls aged 45-59 and 1 / 4 of girls aged 60 and over since 2019. Amongst males, associative observe decreased by 18% amongst these aged 30-44, by 15% amongst these aged 45-59, and by 10% amongst these aged 60 and over.
As for volunteers, estimated by the BPCE at 180,000 full-time equivalents in sports activities associations, “This is without doubt one of the points that poses an issue for the way forward for the latter”considers Alain Tourdjman, highlighting their growing older and the shortage of return for some after the Covid-19 disaster: “for native elected officers, the primary drawback in working sports activities coverage is the disaster of volunteering”.
The CDES examine says the identical, portraying the lack of a big variety of volunteer leaders and their non-replacement. as the primary subject after Covid-19: “Native authorities contemplate the remobilization of volunteers to be a significant issue. »
Evolution of practices
The decline within the variety of licensees displays one factor particularly: the affiliation sector has problem greedy change’ explains Alain Tourdjam, citing the necessity for sports activities practices oriented in direction of well being and well-being, contact with nature, better flexibility (instances, costs) or diversification of observe strategies (particular person help).
CDES additionally harassed “problem for sports activities associations to adapt” to a brand new context opened up or strengthened by the well being disaster i “suggest new provides” take care of it. His examine yielded a telling determine: In 2018, greater than 50% of practitioners over the age of 15 have been already engaged in unsupervised sporting exercise.
The phenomenon illustrates the hole that may exist between demand and provide for associations: the event of digital instruments, on-line teaching or the measurement of key effort indicators to higher monitor efficiency and make it shareable or comparable.
The usage of these instruments intensified throughout the interval of confinement. “This digitization is underdeveloped within the sports activities affiliation surroundings”, notes Alain Tourdjman. ” This phenomenon can show problematic for associations when their digital transformation seems to be very gradual, partly complicating the renewal of their supply.thought of CDES.
Pessimism of sports activities motion actors
For Alain Tourdjman, “It is gonna be difficult” sports activities associations to maintain up with the decline within the variety of licensees. Might this put them at risk? The BPCE reminds in its examine that we should not overlook that the associative framework ” it’s the creation of social bonds, commitments and commitments to others that makes its permanence and growth all of the extra crucial.” However the banking group has not commented on the sector’s skill to recuperate.
CDES reported it “a number of sports activities motion gamers” knowledgeable about “their concern of golf equipment’ skill to adapt”. His examine added that gamers within the sports activities motion are “pessimistic, even very pessimistic concerning the sustainability of the mannequin primarily based on voluntary participation in free fall”: “There appears to be a rising have to reform the associative mannequin”, developed CDES.
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Participant
“The good problem is to efficiently strengthen our sports activities mannequin”, honored Amélie Oudéa-Castér a number of instances within the fall of 2022, presenting her funds and points associated to the Olympic and Paralympic Video games. If known as for sports activities “extra revolutionary, extra fashionable” and this “develops financial fashions that enable it to have sustainable and autonomous sources”nevertheless, it didn’t clarify intimately obtain this in observe.