Ekonews: No one in the Czech Republic has systematically addressed sustainability in sports. Now that is changing, says the director of the Tipsport Foundation

The sports industry is one of the largest producers of waste and emissions. Yet its environmental impacts have been almost completely ignored in the Czech Republic for a long time. Lucia Štefánková, director of the Tipsport Foundation, describes why the situation is different from Western Europe, which projects work, and where Czech clubs encounter their own limitations.

“Many measures are already being taken here. For example, replacing lighting with LEDs, collecting rainwater, or introducing returnable cups. We are lagging behind in others,” describes the head of the Tipsport Foundation, Lucia Štefánková.

“I dare say that until we, as the Tipsport Foundation, started to open up this topic, it was almost not talked about in the Czech Republic. Today, the situation is changing rapidly. UEFA is pressuring clubs to have sustainability managers and comply with environmental standards,” adds Štefánková.

“Sport has a huge reach and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it”

You attended the Sport Positive Summit in London in early October. What impressed you most about the world’s largest conference on sustainability in sport?

For us, this is an extremely inspiring event. We are practically the only ones in the Czech Republic who are really systematically addressing the topic of sustainability in sports, and the opportunity to meet with organizations and sports clubs from all over the world is very valuable. We lack such a platform, which is why it is important to travel abroad, share experiences, discuss obstacles to implementing sustainable measures, and be inspired by best practice examples.

The conference was attended by representatives of Arsenal FC and Forest Green Rovers, which are among the leaders in sustainability. Which of their measures are transferable to the Czech environment?

When the sustainability manager from Arsenal FC spoke, she mentioned, for example, a plan to plant trees around the stadium to cool the area. I was pleased because that’s exactly what we do in the Czech Republic. The Tipsport Foundation has a separate grant focused on planting trees around sports grounds.

Many measures are already being taken here. For example, replacing lighting with LEDs, collecting rainwater or introducing returnable cups. We are lagging behind in others, mainly due to the technological and financial background of the clubs. Arsenal has de facto unlimited financial resources, so innovations in the field of energy or water management can be introduced much faster.

Conversely, measures that are mainly related to behavioural change are highly transferable. Forest Green Rovers, for example, have been offering a vegan-only menu for refreshments for several seasons. This is the type of change that doesn’t cost much but can have a significant impact.

The summit also discussed the cooperation of sports clubs with energy or fossil fuel companies. Can such partnerships be a path to sustainability?

It was a very interesting topic and there were two different opinions expressed in the various contributions. For example, former England footballer David Wheeler argued that sports clubs should not cooperate with fossil fuel companies at all. On the contrary, Norman Vossschulte from the Philadelphia Eagles said: “Take all the resources you can from these companies and use them for a good cause.” The conference saw a clash between the more conservative European approach and the more dynamic American one. There is probably no single right answer, because both approaches are possible.

How do athletes react to the topic of sustainability? Do they consider it a priority or rather something extra?

We talked to foreign partners at the conference about why there are so few sports personalities who speak publicly about ecology. And we came to the conclusion that it is because perfection is expected in environmental issues. When an athlete says that he cares about the climate, he is immediately criticized for ever flying by plane, driving a car, eating meat, and the like. Just because you are not perfect, does not mean that you cannot do good things. This is a very inappropriate social pressure that prevents athletes from speaking publicly about the topic of ecology and sustainability.

Sport has the immense power to reach millions of people. How can this popularity be used to spread sustainable habits among fans?

This is the basic idea that we at the Tipsport Foundation are based on. More than 80 percent of the adult population in the Czech Republic is a fan of some sport. And we know from research that sports fans are much more likely to accept recommendations from their sports role model than from scientists or politicians.

That’s why we try to communicate sustainability directly in the stadiums. That is, in an environment that fans love and that influences their behavior. Sport has a huge social impact and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.

How does the Czech sports environment stand in terms of sustainability compared to other countries?

We started later than Western Europe or the USA. The debate about the connection between sport and ecology and the impact of behaviour in stadiums on the environment was practically non-existent in our country. Yet we know that, for example, hosting the Olympics or the World Cup produces as much carbon dioxide emissions as some smaller countries do in a year.

I dare say that until we, as the Tipsport Foundation, started to open up the topic, it was almost not discussed in the Czech Republic. Today, the situation is changing rapidly. UEFA is pressuring clubs to have sustainability managers and comply with environmental standards. This year, a sustainability commission was established at the League Football Association, where ESG managers from the largest clubs work. The shift is visible.

What are the main obstacles preventing Czech clubs from transitioning to more sustainable operations?

There are several. First, it is the old infrastructure of the stadiums. For example, it is quite common, but unsustainable, to irrigate the lawns with drinking water from the tap. This should have stopped happening a long time ago. Second, it is a lack of personnel capacity. Sports clubs do not have enough people who would be dedicated to sustainability.

The third obstacle is the lack of financial resources, as some measures require initial investments. And the last obstacle is the lack of legislation that would force clubs to make more environmental changes.

Are clubs interested in these topics?

Yes, they do. We have never had a club we approached not want to cooperate. The problem was rather that sustainability in sports was not discussed at all and no one actively addressed it. We were surprised by the great interest from small and amateur clubs. Thanks to our Sport without Waste program, there are thousands of waste sorting stations throughout the country.

“The absolute foundation is returnable cups”

The entire Chance League joined the second year of the Sport without Waste project at the beginning of December. What has changed in the stadiums?

The Sport without Waste league round took place on the first weekend of December. Around 36,000 fans came to the stadiums. We prepared information stands, an educational campaign and activities aimed at reducing waste. We want to show fans that the stadium is their “second home” and that it is natural to behave respectfully there, just like at home.

So, have there been more waste sorting bins at stadiums?

Yes. Waste is an entry topic that everyone understands. The bin or returnable cup is such a symbol. With this campaign, we want to inform fans that waste is also generated at stadiums, that they should sort it into the correct bins and not leave a mess behind.

We have introduced sorting bins, returnable cups and other measures at eight Premier League stadiums in the last two years. Where the infrastructure already exists, fans now know thanks to the campaign that they can sort their waste. And where measures do not yet exist, we believe that we are motivating clubs to implement them with our help.

What is the biggest challenge of the Sport Without Waste project?

The biggest challenge is changing people’s behavior. Although it costs nothing, it is the hardest part. We know from international studies that approximately 60 percent of the measures needed to reduce the impacts of climate change are purely behavioral. We need to explain to society that even small changes have a huge impact.

How costly is it to implement sustainable measures?

It depends on the size of the stadium. A returnable cup system costs around 250 thousand crowns for large stadiums. Quality waste management can range from tens to hundreds of thousands, depending on the scale.

Infrastructure changes, such as a complete modernization of electrical installations or water management, can cost millions of crowns. In these cases, we help clubs open up the topic and find other sources of funding.

What step could every sports club take to be more sustainable?

The returnable cups are the absolute foundation. It’s a measure with an immediate effect. In stadiums where they have been introduced, the amount of plastic waste has decreased by up to 80 percent.

Which projects does the Tipsport Foundation plan to support more intensively in the coming years?

The topic of sustainability in sports venues is a big one, and the number of clubs that are interested is growing every year. We want to continue this work, expand projects, and also recognize clubs with exemplary environmental practices – good examples follow. The goal is to gradually achieve carbon neutrality in sports, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Until we achieve this, there is still a lot of work ahead of us.

Read the original article in Czech here.