What does it mean to be European Capital of Sport?
The European Capital of Sport Association (ACES) aims to maintain the Olympic tradition and to spread the universal values of the Olympic movement at the municipal level, encouraging the habit of enjoying exercise, a commitment to achievement, a sense of community, fair play and improvement to health across society.
Who awards this distinction?
The award is given by ACES, a not-for-profit association created in 1999 in Milan (Italy). Its activities are based on the European Capitals of Sport Manifesto and the organization is included in the European White Paper on Sport.
What criteria are followed when deciding the European Capital of Sport?
The fundamental goal of ACES is to promote the universal values of the Olympic movement at the municipal level. Just as the Olympic rings are interlinked, so are the five objectives of the member cities of ACES:
- Enjoyment of exercise
- Commitment to achievement
- Sense of community
- Fair play
- Improvement to health
The assessment takes into account the efforts made in the area of physical/sports activities and the culture of sport over the last three years.
These include, among other factors:
- Continued promotion of sport.
- Improvement to health through sport in every section of the population.
- Integration of different population groups through sport.
- Development of infrastructure for sport.
- Implementation of innovative projects.
- Organization of significant sports events and competitions.
What does the ACES award mean?
Firstly, it is a form of recognition of the work done by Valencia City Council in the area of sport. With this award, Valencia now forms part of the Network of European Capitals of Sport, along with the major capital cities of Europe. This distinction is also a guarantee that the city of Valencia is reinforcing its work in the area of sport, following European criteria.
Secondly, winning this award means that Valencia will become a focal point for research, innovation and promotion of municipal sport at a European level. This work will be undertaken jointly by the Network of European Capitals of Sport and Valencia City Council through its Municipal Sport Foundation.
Also, Valencia, as European Capital of Sport, is working to create the European Council of Cultural and Sport Research, under the supervision of ACES, with a permanent headquarters in Valencia and a moving presidency.
Winning cities
The cities that have won to date are:
2001 Madrid
2002 Stockholm
2003 Alicante
2004 Glasgow
2005 Rotterdam
2006 Copenhagen
2007 Stuttgart
2008 Warsaw
2009 Milan
2010 Dublin
2011 Valencia
2012 Istanbul
2013 Antwerp
The strong points in Valencia's candidature
Valencia received this international distinction on the basis of several merits, including:
- Planning as a guide for action
Based on empirical research commissioned to independent institutes such as the University of Valencia, the Centre of Sociological Research and the Higher Council for Sport, we provide the city of Valencia with what its residents want: training on values, healthy sport habits, etc.
These objectives have been achieved with the help of three technical documents that have governed the implementation of Valencia's sports policy: Master Plan – What activities we do; Directive Plan – Where we do them; and the Management Plan – How we do them. Since 2010 these goals have come under the Valencia Sport Strategy Plan.
- Practice sport with us
Our model for encouraging everyone to play sport is through participative sports schemes. They cover every age group and background. Children, young people, adults, the elderly, people with disabilities… Everyone practices sport with us.
Valencia is the city that organizes most foot races in the world. This in itself shows how important public sport is for Valencia City Council.
Facilities for everyone:
112 sports facilities across the city.
1,596,857 m2 of ground for sport.
For the 2009-2011 period, approved investment of 42,000,000 € for the building and refurbishment of public sports facilities.
The lack of public sports facilities is no reason for Valencians not to play sport.
The big sporting event; promoting sport for all
Our efforts to bring major championships, tournaments and sporting events to the city aim to give the public access to spectator sports and to create a "sporty environment".
As an example, the America's Cup has led to the creation of the Sailing School; the XII World Athletics Championship Valencia 2008 generated the "Education Guide for the Teaching of Athletics"…
Valencia promotes working for Europe
Valencia is proposing the creation of a European Council of Cultural and Sport Research under the supervision of ACES, with a permanent headquarters and secretariat in Valencia. It will have a moving presidency that shall fall to the city that is chosen to be European Capital of Sport for that year.
European Centre for Research into Municipal Sport
A forum for research in the various fields of knowledge applied to municipal sport, under the supervision of ACES, headquartered in Valencia and with a moving presidency. Valencia City Council is working on this proposal through its Municipal Sport Foundation: it represents the greatest legacy to the city once Valencia's year as European Capital of Sport is over.
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