On 27 May, the SIMS (Sports Inclusion Media Seal) project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from sports organisations, media outlets, and civil society, to address how to collaborate to advance inclusive sports journalism in Europe.

Launched over two years ago, the SIMS project was created in response to the lack of diversity and inclusive storytelling in mainstream sports journalism. While mainstream coverage often focuses on elite sports, club achievements and high-profile events, there is a significant gap in coverage of grassroots initiatives, social change movements, athletes with disabilities, women in sports and marginalised groups.

The project aims to make sports journalism more inclusive by identifying and certifying media outlets that actively cover inclusive sports activities, thereby increasing visibility and awareness.

What Are Inclusive Sports?

Marc Declercq, representative of Espana se Mueve and co-coordinator of the SIMS project, explained that within the project, the term ‘inclusive sports’ refers to any sporting activity involving diverse participants, such as people with disabilities, older adults, women, and marginalised or at-risk communities. Importantly, the focus extends beyond elite or Paralympic athletes to include community-based and grassroots initiatives.

The event highlighted several barriers that prevent greater media attention on inclusive sport:

• The media often focuses on elite sports, neglecting social and grassroots initiatives.
• There is often a difficulty in connecting media professionals with inclusive sports stories due to a lack of resources, training and awareness.
• Prevalent stereotypes and underrepresentation of marginalised groups
• Commercial pressures and fast-paced news cycles that discourage in-depth, human-focused reporting

The Role of the SIMS Project

The SIMS project has aimed to address some of these challenges by developing training modules to educate journalists on inclusive sports, diversity and rights-based reporting. The project also awards the SIMS Seal, a certification recognising media outlets and journalists that actively report on inclusive sports. The Seal has three levels: Bronze (entry-level), Silver (promoter), Gold (advanced promoter with strategic communication plans). Journalists must submit a year-long portfolio of work to qualify, ensuring that coverage is sustained and not limited to large-scale events.

Speaking on the impact of the SIMS resources on journalists, Martin Mazur, International Sports Press Association, shared, “There’s often a fog. Things are done automatically, without reflection. The SIMS course provided an opportunity for  journalists to pause and reflect on what inclusive sports and how to apply a social lens even to traditionally exclusive sports coverage.”

Human-centred stories at all levels of sport

While the SIMS project aims to promote inclusive storytelling at all levels of sport, the event acknowledged that high-profile competitions, such as the Paralympic Games, present key opportunities to raise awareness of inclusive sports and drive wider social change. Athletes competing at this level often serve as figureheads, helping to increase visibility and representation across the sporting world.

Guillaume Gobert, Belgian Paralympic Committee, shared the work of the Committee to collaborate with journalists and provide them with training to effectively cover the stories of Belgian Paralympic athletes in mainstream media. Mr Gobert noted that while some specialised journalists excel in this area, many mainstream reporters lack the skills and understanding required for accurate and respectful coverage, recognising the need for the work of SIMS and similar initiatives.

Mr Gobert further stressed that while developing these stories that Paralympic athletes should be recognised first and foremost for their sporting achievements, not solely for their personal circumstances, just like their peers in other elite sporting domains.

Participants agreed that every athlete, whether amateur or professional, has a story to tell. The SIMS resources aim to support journalists in telling these stories in a human-centred and socially impactful way, encouraging narratives that go beyond stereotypes to highlight the real-world impact of sport on individuals and communities. Participants agreed on the importance of journalists continuing to educate themselves on how they can increase the representation of marginalised groups, ensuring that they empower the individuals who feature in their stories and that any representation is free from tokenism.

What’s Next for SIMS?

The SIMS project is currently finalising its outputs, certification processes, and preparing for a public launch in early 2026. Plans include creating a digital platform to connect stakeholders and facilitate ongoing collaboration. Looking ahead, the project aims to expand its global reach and inspire systemic change in sports journalism.

If you wish to learn more about the project or get involved, please contact Rachel Vaughan, EASPD. View a recording of the event here.