Luxembourg Unveils €3m Sport Recovery Plan 2.0

Following the meeting of the parliamentary health and sports committee on Tuesday, Luxembourg's Minister of Sport, Dan Kersch, presented the "Plan de relance Sport 2.0" (sport recovery plan 2.0).

Like many other sectors, the sports sector continues to suffer the consequences of the COVID-19 health crisis. The Sports Minister stressed that whilst sports federations and clubs quickly adapted to the various measures in place, virtual lessons and contacts can never replace the team spirit or the collective experience felt within a club. The implementation of the recovery plan in June 2020, resulting in cumulative aid of around €3.3 million, made it possible to cushion somewhat the first effects of the crisis.

However, for the sake of continuity and sustainability and in view of the vulnerability of the Luxembourg sporting model, new support measures are deemed necessary for the sector.

These new measures include:

- a specific flat-rate aid for affiliated sports clubs governing a competitive sport (minimum €250 per club; this will be paid to clubs on the basis of a request to be sent to the Ministry of Sports by the end of the year);

- contribution to registration fees for participation in European competitions;

- "Go to Sports" initiative (the Sports Ministry will contribute €50 to the registration costs of joining a sports club for young people under the age of 16; among those taking new subscriptions, a raffle will be organised with 50 trips to the Summer Olympics in Paris in 2024 up for grabs);

- financial contribution to "The Move" campaign, initiated by the five largest collective sports federations, to encourage children and young people to join an affiliated sports club;

- contribution to the costs of digital training (the Sports Ministry will give representatives of approved sports federations and their affiliated clubs a voucher for digital training with a maximum value of €500 (tax included) to be used as part of the “Digital Skills” initiative of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy); 

- measures in favour of basic motor learning adapted to children (the Sports Ministry will continue to contribute to the financing of the personnel costs of a "sports coordinator" in various municipalities);

- contribution to the financing of outdoor sports facilities promoting physical activity and leisure sport (the Sports Ministry will continue to subsidise new sports constructions in various municipalities; the subsidy remains set at 35% with state participation capped at €50,000);

- supporting volunteering in sport.

All of the relevant forms are available on the website www.sports.lu and should be submitted by 31 December 2021.

The total cost of this support package amounts to €3,000,000.