The final conference of the GAMES Erasmus+ project took place on 10 December 2024 at the Malmö Arena Hotel in Malmö, Sweden, during the Men’s World Floorball Championships 2024. This event marked the culmination of a three-year collaborative journey for the IBU, World Athletics, the International and Swedish Floorball Federations working together with Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa and Touchline to foster sustainability in sports.

The GAMES project, launched in June 2022, has been a joint effort to promote sustainable practices in biathlon, floorball and athletics. The initiative focused on reducing the environmental footprint of sports through innovative governance and operational strategies, highlighting the potential of sports to drive meaningful environmental change.

Hosted by the International Floorball Federation (IFF), Svenska Innebandyförbundet (SFF), and Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, a distinguished lineup of speakers, including sustainability experts and sports leaders, enriched the conference with insights on decarbonising sports and hosting environmentally responsible events. Representatives from the IBU and World Athletics shared their perspectives on integrating sustainability into global sporting practices. Project lead Tiberio Daddi of Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies showcased the project’s results and their real-world applications.

Participants were inspired by sessions exploring how to engage fans in sustainability and how sports federations can leverage EU funding to advance these efforts. The conference concluded with actionable takeaways, leaving attendees with a sense of purpose and a roadmap for continuing this important work.

The choice of Malmö Arena as the venue symbolized the commitment to sustainable sports. With its climate-smart infrastructure and energy-efficient solutions, the arena underscored the feasibility of combining world-class events with environmental responsibility.

The GAMES project demonstrated the power of collaboration in addressing global challenges. As sports continue to inspire millions, initiatives like GAMES show how the sector can lead the way in sustainability, turning arenas into platforms for change and shaping a greener future for all.

For more about the GAMES project and its achievements, visit our website at erasmus-games.com.

Let’s keep the momentum going in #MakingSportSustainable!