The role of sport and public financing

The social role of sport is based on the scientific evidence of its impact on physical, mental, and social health, on the socialisation and cohesion of the people, and on the economy. Sport also contributes to the promotion of Slovenia. It plays an important role in encouraging solidarity, tolerance and responsibility. It is one of the important areas of voluntary work and active participation in society and strengthens one’s commitment to positive values and national identity. As sport is of public interest, it is co-financed from public funds and appropriate systemic conditions are created for its development.

The public interest and the National Programme of Sport

The development of sport does not and cannot depend solely on sports organisations and the national and local authorities that promote sport. For the same reason it is not possible to separate sport areas with regard to the organisations responsible for particular programmes. The National Programme of Sport defines strategic measures. The measures are sometimes linked to other social areas, as this is the only way they can ensure conditions for the comprehensive development of sport.

The impact of sport on the well-being of citizens

The National Programme of Sport gives priority to the participation of children and youth in sporting activities due to the impact of sport on the development of young people, the formation of a healthy lifestyle and the development of social competencies. However, regular physical activity is also of great importance to adults and must not fall victim to discrimination based on social and economic status.

As sport has such a great impact on society, the Government's goals concerning sport are very broad:

• to ensure that every person has an opportunity to participate in sporting activities in a safe and healthy environment;
• to ensure that all young people have access to extracurricular sporting activities that, together with quality sports education, will enable them to acquire adequate physical and other competencies at such a level that sport becomes a part of their healthy lifestyle;
• to ensure that any interested and capable person has an opportunity to improve their personal sporting achievements with confirmation in an organised international sports environment and to receive public recognition of the importance of achievements that will also enhance the reputation of Slovenia in the international arena;
• to protect and promote moral and ethical values in sport, and to respect the human dignity and safety of every person connected with sport;
• to create a supportive environment for the development of various types of sporting activities for all groups of people, and their socialising and active leisure time in accordance with the principle of sustainable development;
• to strengthen the role and importance of particularly those sports organisations that provide quality sports services, operate in the public interest, and are as such an important part of civil society because their activities, which are mostly voluntary, contribute to the well-being of the entire society.