Ukrainian Sport Community Defines Ten Democratic Values at National VALUE COMPASS Workshop (17.06.2026, Kyiv)
Kyiv, 17 June 2026 — Representatives of Ukraine’s sport community came together at the National VALUE COMPASS Workshop to identify and define the democratic values that matter most to sport in Ukraine today. The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the development of a shared European framework of democratic values in sport.
The workshop was organised by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine as part of the international project VALUE COMPASS: Promoting Democratic Values in and through Sport in Europe, co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport programme.
Held in a hybrid format at the Olympic House in Kyiv and online, the workshop brought together athletes, coaches, representatives of the Olympic and Paralympic movements, national sport federations, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, regional sport organisations, academics, and sport media professionals.
Opening the event, Olga Danko, Chair of the NOC of Ukraine’s Athlete Entourage Commission and Coordinator of European Cooperation Projects, highlighted the importance of the initiative in the context of Ukraine’s European integration: “Ukraine’s path towards the European Union is also a path of shared values. It is therefore important that the Ukrainian sport community is not only learning from European experience but also helping shape a common understanding of democratic values in sport. Today, Ukraine’s voice is becoming part of the European conversation about the future of sport.”
The workshop was facilitated by Bielefeld University (Germany), the project’s academic partner and developer of the VALUE COMPASS methodology. Through a series of interactive sessions combining individual reflection, pair work, small-group discussions, and plenary dialogue, participants worked towards a shared understanding of democratic values and their relevance to the Ukrainian sporting context.
A key outcome of the workshop was the agreement on a national set of ten democratic values in sport:
- Fair Play
- Equality
- Volia
- Accessibility
- Solidarity
- Inclusivity
- Tolerance
- Modernity
- Diversity
- Honesty
Among these, Volia emerged as a particularly distinctive value. Participants described it as a unique combination of freedom, willpower, and self-determination. Widely regarded as one of Ukraine’s core national values, Volia reflects the country’s enduring aspiration to live freely, determine its own future, and uphold its convictions. In sport, it represents resilience, perseverance, inner strength, and the determination to achieve excellence through hard work and integrity.
Many of the agreed definitions were shaped by Ukraine’s current realities. Participants noted that the experience of full-scale war has influenced how democratic values are understood within sport. Equality, for example, was discussed not only as equal access to participation but also as the need to ensure fair training and development opportunities for athletes facing very different circumstances.
While some athletes continue to benefit from access to sports infrastructure and relatively stable training environments, others face disruptions caused by air raid alerts, damaged facilities, displacement, and security risks. As a result, ensuring equal opportunities for preparation, development, and sporting achievement has taken on a particularly important meaning in Ukraine.
The definition of Fair Play also reflected participants’ position regarding the exclusion of representatives of the aggressor state from international competitions. Participants emphasised that respect for the rules and values of sport cannot be separated from respect for human dignity and international law.
The results of the Ukrainian workshop will now contribute to the European Value Framework, which is being developed through VALUE COMPASS in cooperation with partners from Germany, Poland, Estonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine. Following scientific validation by Bielefeld University, the outcomes of all national workshops will be integrated into a shared European framework of democratic values in sport.
The framework will serve as the foundation for the development of the digital VALUE COMPASS tool, designed to help sports organisations assess their value profile and strengthen the integration of democratic values into their work. The project will also produce the VALUE GUIDE, a practical resource featuring recommendations, roadmaps, and examples of good practice.
President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Vadym Guttsait, said: “Democratic values have a special significance for Ukraine today. Every day, Ukrainians defend freedom, dignity, and the right to be part of the European democratic community. This is why the participation of the Ukrainian sport community in shaping a shared European understanding of democratic values is so important. Sport remains a powerful force for bringing people together and fostering respect, responsibility, and solidarity. I am confident that the outcomes of this workshop will make a valuable contribution to the future of European sport.”
VALUE COMPASS is a cooperation project co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Sport programme. The project runs from January 2026 to December 2027 and aims to establish a shared vision and practical implementation of democratic values in sport across Europe. Its results are designed to be used by National Olympic Committees, sports federations, regional organizations, clubs, and volunteers in various countries.