19 May 2025 marks the inaugural World Fair Play Day—a global celebration dedicated to promoting sports rooted in friendship, solidarity, tolerance, inclusion, and non-discrimination.

This year is particularly special, as we celebrate the inaugural edition of World Fair Play Day, officially recognized by the United Nations, following its approval and announcement in 2024. The day comes to life through a joint initiative of Panathlon International (PI), the International Committee for Fair Play (CIFP), the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) and Panathlon Wallonia-Brussels. It builds on the momentum of previous informal global celebrations held on September 7, which laid the groundwork for establishing a formal and globally recognized day to honor the values of fair play.

Acknowledging the spirit of fair play and its values in both sports and everyday life, the resolution highlights the role of sport—including for persons with disabilities—in advancing peace, development, community cohesion, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls.

Fair play nurtures mutual respect among participants, teaching us to value and uplift one another. It champions equality, bridges cultural divides, and empowers young people by demonstrating how sport can be a catalyst for social progress and stronger, more inclusive communities. By embracing fair play—respecting the rules, honoring opponents, and rejecting violence and doping—everyone gains.

World Fair Play Day also serves as a powerful platform to encourage broader participation in sports, contributing to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

To further emphasize that fair play is not just for a single day, but a value to live by every day, the global community is invited to explore the "Perpetual Calendar for a Fair Play World". This innovative initiative presents 365 concrete examples of fair play in action, encouraging reflection and engagement throughout the entire year.

From sportsmanship to education, and from civic responsibility to everyday interactions, each entry highlights how fair play can be practiced in daily life. Accompanied by illustrations and QR codes or links for additional resources, the calendar serves as a dynamic and interactive tool—reminding us all that we each have a role to play in building a fairer sporting culture and a more just society.

EUSA and Fair Play

Fair play is one of the core values of the European University Sports Association (EUSA). It is embedded in EUSA’s statutes and rules, and actively implemented across all three of the organization’s main pillars of activity: sports events, education, and volunteering.

At every EUSA event, Fair Play oaths are taken by athletes and referees, and fair play awards are given across certain sports competitions, reinforcing the importance of respect, ethical conduct, and integrity in university sport. A unique initiative is the Fair Play Green Card, introduced in 2017, awarded to student-athletes who demonstrate outstanding sportsmanship during competitions, highlighting the belief that how you play the game is as important as the result itself.

EUSA also annually presents the Enno Harms Fair Play Award, recognizing exceptional acts of fairness, respect, and integrity among participants. This recognition is organized in cooperation with the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM), with whom EUSA has an established partnership through a signed Memorandum of Understanding. EUSA’s dedication to fair play has been recognized internationally. The EFPM awarded EUSA with the European Fair Play Plaque of Merit and Diploma in 2013, honoring its ongoing work in promoting the values of fair play within university sport and beyond.

Through these initiatives, EUSA demonstrates its long-term commitment to embedding fair play in both policy and practice, ensuring it remains a guiding principle in shaping a positive and inclusive sports culture across Europe.

Representatives of EUSA, Francis Cirianni, EUSA Treasurer, and Andrej Pisl, Director of Projects and Policy, are attending the 30th European Fair Play Congress and the Electoral Assembly of the EFPM, taking place from 16 to 20 May 2025 at the International Olympic Academy, located in Ancient Olympia.

For more information, please see https://worldfairplayday.org/