Sport as a driver of inclusion, health, sustainability and social cohesion. With this vision, ACES Europe proudly launches SANE – Sports Network of European Ambassadors, a new Erasmus+ project designed to create and professionalise a European network of Sport Ambassadors committed to promoting the values of sport in communities across the continent.

SANE aims to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace physical activity while strengthening social inclusion, intergenerational participation and healthier lifestyles. By bringing together experienced leaders, elite athletes, coaches and community representatives, the project will help build a new generation of ambassadors capable of encouraging greater participation in sport throughout Europe.

The initiative is delivered by an international consortium of organisations representing different areas of the European sporting landscape, including public institutions, universities, grassroots organisations and major sports networks. Together, they will address current challenges in participation, leadership and accessibility in sport.

A strong European partnership

The SANE consortium is formed by:

Association Jorge Pina (Portugal)
National Agency for Sport (Romania)
Union of the Sports Federations of Catalonia (Spain)
European Paralympic Committees (Austria)
ACES (Belgium)

A team of ambassadors representing the best of European sport

One of the project’s greatest strengths is its outstanding team of Sport Ambassadors. Representing numerous European countries, they combine elite sporting experience with extensive community engagement and leadership, bringing together different cultures, traditions and expertise to promote the universal values of sport.

The ACES Sport Ambassadors include:

Szilvia Bonyhadi – Veszprém-Balaton, European Region of Sport 2026 (Hungary)
Karine Van de Eynde – Trémolat-Calès, European Town of Sport 2026 (France/Belgium)
Daniele Piccardo – Valle Stura, European Community of Sport 2026 (Italy)
Hans Derks – Drenthe, European Community of Sport 2019 (The Netherlands)
Isabelle Bonnal – Monaco, World Capital of Sport 2025 (Principality of Monaco)
Artis Lagzdins – Liepāja, European City of Sport 2016 (Latvia)
Marta Niewczas – Rzeszów, European City of Sport 2026 (Poland)
Roberta Chyurlia – Taranto, European City of Sport 2025 (Italy)
Giorgio Minisini – Italian Delegation of ACES (Italy)
Igor Polak – Rzeszów, European City of Sport 2026 (Poland)

The project also features Jesús Tortosa (Alcobendas, European City of Sport 2025, Spain) as Honorary Sport Ambassador.

Guiding the ambassadors throughout the project is André de Jeu, from The Hague European Capital of Sport 2022, who joins SANE as Sport Ambassadors’ Coach, bringing decades of experience in European sport policy and international cooperation.

From Lisbon to Barcelona… and on to Brussels

Following the successful kick-off meeting held in Lisbon last March, the SANE project now moves to Barcelona, where partners and ambassadors will gather from 3 to 5 September to continue developing the initiative, exchange best practices and define the next stages of the programme.

The project will conclude in the final quarter of 2027 with its Final Conference at the ACES Europe International Headquarters in Brussels, where the consortium will present the project’s achievements, future recommendations and the long-term vision for a sustainable European network of Sport Ambassadors.

SANE represents another important milestone in ACES Europe’s ongoing commitment to strengthening sport as a powerful instrument for improving health, fostering inclusion and building stronger, more active communities across Europe.