Overcoming barriers inhibiting migrants to sport participation: results from eight case studies

Aim: the research, commissioned by UISP (the largest Italian Sport for All Association) on the frame of the project Diritti in campo funded by the law 383/2000, attempted to study model organisational determinants in supporting and facilitating the integration process through participation in sport for migrants. Method: The research, ethnographic and ideographic in nature, was based on the case-study approach. Participant observations (n=8) were interpolated with in-depth interviews with participants and project managers (n=32), focus group (n=8) and documentary analysis with the aim to analyse the eight case studies involved in the project. The collection and the analysis of data were based on the inductive research approach, typical of the Grounded Theory, involving the search for patterns and categories of analysis from the field observation. Results indicate that projects based on sport seeking to improve participation among migrants have the potential to reduce social exclusion. Projects are more likely to be successful if they use participation to maximise the opportunities in light of seven success factors highlighted by the research: the partition of the roles at local level in the promoting organization, the establishment of broader associative network, the inter-organization synergies, the sharing of knowledge among the organization local committees, the tutoring of the administrative and managing procedures, a multidimensional training, the re-modulation of the organization procedures. Conclusions indicated that four organisation determinants are relevant in the Italian contest. Specifically: organisations are required to operate by safeguarding ludodiversity, with activities promoting multiculturalism also in terms of body culture and sport activities and, in the same vein, adopting more inclusive and participative procedures with migrants. Broadly, policies concerning daily routines have to be revised with the aim to stimulate migrants to enhance active transportation and physical activity. Furthermore, public spaces – such as parks and outdoor facilities - should be more loose and accessible. Finally, the development of an integrated system for multiculturalism coordinating all the efforts and activities implemented by all the relevant stakeholders – both public and private – should be established.