Our Mission

Purpose:

The Municipal Sports Foundation (MSF) of Valencia is an independent organism of the City Council of Valencia. The foundation was created by Valencia City Council in April 1981. Its purpose is to encourage and promote sports activity in the city. In terms of its budgeting and accounting systems, the MSF is regarded as an administrative body. It is also considered a technical office of the Valencia City Council with responsibility for sport.

In accordance with its by-laws, the MSF is responsible for the following tasks: organisation and administration of any sport-related competences assigned to municipalities by law; organisation of other types of activities that complement sport or other areas; planning and execution of works, infrastructure and sports facilities; and, finally, mediation, conciliation and arbitration in the sports area, subject to specific regulations in force.
Its mission as a specialised technical body is:

- To develop the competences of the City Council in the sports area.
- To organise the local administrative structure for sport.
- To promote sport and physical activity by preparing and implementing plans aimed at encouraging all citizens to become active.
- To promote community involvement in local sport through associations and non-profit organisations.
- To assume responsibility for the construction, upgrading and management of municipal sports facilities.
- To organise championships and other sports events.
- To organise lectures, seminars and similar events, and to communicate sport-related information through various publications.
- To carry out regular campaigns aimed at preventing violence in the practice of sport and at public venues and events.

Management model

The MSF management model that has emerged over recent years uses a number of approaches to managing its services and facilities, striking a balance between direct and indirect public management. The indirect approach involves specialised companies in some cases, and local sports clubs and federations in others. This mixed model seeks to ensure financial efficiency as well as social and sport-related benefits.

Sports activity: the dynamics of sports management in the city

>> The majority of local sports activities take place under the terms of cooperation agreements, which cover:

- Municipal Sports Schools
- Games
- Fair-play tournaments
- The Ciudad de Valencia trophies
- The Municipal Sailing School
- Activities for adults
- Outdoor activities
- Traditional Valencian games
- Promotion of all sport-related initiatives aimed at the general public
- Support for competitive sports
- Support for sports competitions and championships

>> Elite sports events are regularly sponsored and subsidised by the Municipal Sports Foundation (in cooperation with the city's Sports Department).
>> The MSF either directly organises or cooperates in and supports a number of activities aimed at the general public. These include:

- The Valencia Open Marathon
- The Poblats Maritims half-marathon
- Open road races in city neighbourhoods
- The Volta a Peu running race
- Bicycle Day
- Open roller-skating events
- The San Silvestre road race
- The Harbour Swim
- Beach activities (beach football, volleyball, rugby, etc.)
- The Kite Festival
- The Aerobics Festival

>> The Ciudad de Valencia trophies
>> These activities are carried out in a systematic manner in accordance with the Master Plan for Sports Activities in Valencia.

Facilities constructed in the city

>> Since the creation of the Municipal Sports Foundation in 1981, when the city had no facilities, the city has acquired the following sports installations:

53 sports centres or complexes, consisting of:

- 14 indoor pools
- 6 outdoor pools
- 13 football pitches
- 1 sports residence
- 1 sports medicine centre
- 36 basic sports installations

- In 2004, these facilities were used a total of 5,260,525 times.
- All the installations that make up this extensive network have been developed within the framework of the Master Plan for Sports Facilities.
Sports research, communication and awareness-raising

The Municipal Sports Foundation of Valencia is conscious of the growing importance of examining the city's needs and the growth in sports popularity, as also of the need to promote participation while raising awareness of sport’s role in maintaining health. The foundation is involved in a number of actions aimed at achieving these goals:

- For the last five years a survey of the sport-related habits of the Valencian people has been carried out and published (more detailed than the national survey).
- A municipal book collection of books has been created (Colección Aula Deportiva), with 11 books published so far.
- Activities are regularly implemented in the media (press, radio programmes and magazines) and via the Internet.
- A Municipal Sports Documentation Centre has been created.
- Agreements and cooperation lines have been established with various bodies, including: the Valencia Institute of Biomechanics, the Association of Professional Sports Managers of the Autonomous Community of Valencia, the Official Association of Physical Education Teachers and Graduates, the Literary University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, the San Vicente Mártir Catholic University, as also with sports federations and elite clubs.
- The following plans have been developed and published:
• Master Plan for Sports Facilities in Valencia
• Master Plan for Sports Activities in Valencia
- A number of publications have been produced. For example, a Parents' Guide was recently published.