Play the Game receives special grant to promote democracy and good governance

For many years, Play the Game has worked to promote democracy, transparency and good governance in sports organisations while also dealing with corruption, match-fixing, doping and other urgent issues in sport.

These efforts have now been recognised with a special government grant of 100,000 euro (750,000 DKK) in 2019, awarded with backing of all parties in the Danish Parliament.

“Denmark must continue to be a pioneer country, when it comes to fighting corruption in sport. Play the Game already makes a considerable contribution when it comes to countering match-fixing and doping on an international level. These efforts are now further supported,” says the Danish Minister for Culture, Mette Bock, in a press release from the Ministry of Culture.

The new grant comes in continuation of a previous special grant from the Danish Parliament from 2015-2018 which, along with funding from the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, has made Play the Game able to strengthen its efforts for better governance and more democracy on an international level.

Above all, the Sports Governance Observer and National Sports Governance Observer projects have examined the governance in international and national sports organisations and set up concrete recommendations for good governance. But Play the Game has also brought sports governance up for debate through articles, international cooperation, conferences and national and international seminars.

”It is very encouraging that a united parliament now gives us the opportunity to continue our work and reinforce our efforts regarding good governance in sport. Sports leaders and researchers in a number of new countries are lined up to be a part of our projects, and the new grant will make it possible for us to accommodate the global interest”, says Jens Sejer Andersen, international director of Play the Game.