General Evaluation

Domain

Assessment

1. Promotion of sport and physical activity

Physical activity rates in the Swiss population have been dropping during the 1990s. In the meantime, however, the "trend towards physical inactivity" has been stopped and reversed in some instances. To some extent this was due to a number of new and effective programmes and campaings aimed at increasing the level of physical activity. An important target group for further interventions under the new Sports Policy Concept 2007-2010 are children aged 5 and older.

2. Education and research

Despite some flexibilisation over the past few years, not all of the Swiss cantons comply with federal regulations regarding the amount of compulsory school sports. In addition, it is not yet clear whether "Youth and Sport" (J+S) and other extracurricular activities will be able to counteract the impending reduction in the level of physical activity of children and young adults.

With respect to the educational opportunities for sports and physical education teachers, coaches and managers the situation in Switzerland looks generally favorable.

3. Top level sports

Currently, Swiss elite sports appear to be in a "transitional phase" in which a number of new projects have been developed and introduced to improve Swiss sport's performance in the future. Available data do not yet offer conclusive evidence on whether these efforts will be successfull. However, there are promising developments with respect to the promotion of young talented athletes and improving the linkage between sports, school and/or work.

4. Fair and safe sports

Despite its positive health effects, physical activity also entails some injury risks. Over the past few years, the number of sport injuries and accidents has increased slightly. As a consequence, several programmes promoting safe sports and the prevention of sports injuries have been initiated to counteract this trend.

With repect to the fight against doping the data suggest that the Swiss system of prevention and controls works well. Data on player and spectator violence are not yet available.

5. Economy

According to estimates, total spending on sport and sports-related goods and services may well surpass the 10 billion Swiss Francs per year mark. Compared to the overall spending on sports the roughly 120 million Swiss Francs spent by the FOSPO appear to be a modest sum. However, federal organisations and projects play an important role in the steering and coordination of Swiss sports.

At first sight, the cost of sport accidents and injuries appears to be elevated in Switzerland. Yet, if one puts the number and cost of sports occidents into perspective with the positive effects health effects of physical activity and the number of physically active people, the figures do not seem to be overly dramatic.

6. Background data

Private organisations such as sports clubs and fitness centres are the most important providers of sport opportunities in Switzerland which rely heavily on the large number of sport facilities in Switzerland. As a result these actors have to be taken into consideration in any sport policy framework - which has been done in the Federal Council's Sport Policy Concept. The important role played by club sports in Switzerland also contributes substantially to sport's positive image. It is important to note, however, that women are still underrepresented in sports in general and in leadership positions in particular.

7. Special indicators

Currently, only two indicator regarding the UEFA EURO 08 are available. The data suggest that the Swiss population had a very favorable attitude towards this event but that the economic benefits did not meet all expectations.