Denmark to export sport promotion know-how

A proposal based on growth and employment in sport, with a view to exporting some of the ideas and initiatives that have made Denmark “a nation of sports-active people”, has been submitted by the National Olympic Committee and Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF).

Photo: National Danish Performance Team
Photo: National Danish Performance Team

Denmark is considered to have one of the world’s most sports-active populations and new analysis from the consultant house DAMVAD shows that sports clubs contributed Danish Krone 4.8 billion (£507 million/$788 million/€645 million) to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2012.

The figure covers activities in the sport industry, and all purchases of goods and services in other industries, which the sport clubs have made.

The analysis also shows that the DIF contributes to employment with 16,000 jobs, and the growth and employment proposal provides a number of suggestions as to how it can contribute even more in the future.

The proposal, which is supported by the opposition in Denmark’s Parliament, also includes topics such as sport as a door opener for export promotion, meaningful employment training schemes in sport clubs, and large elite clubs’ possibilities for creating regional development through funding from European Union structural funds.

“It’s very interesting and relevant,” said Brian Mikkelsen, a member of the Conservative Party, and former Minister for Economic and Business Affairs.

“When sport is being socially responsible, we accept it with open arms.”

Large and fast-growing countries like China, Russia, India, Indonesia and Brazil, characterised by a rapidly growing middle-class, are considered not to be as physically active as Denmark and are said to be interested in Denmark’s sports model.

Read more: Inside the Games

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