Public Health and Sports Services Based on Sustainable Development Goals

Dear Colleagues,

While numerous studies have highlighted the individual benefits of sports participation on physical health and mental well-being, a significant research gap exists in systematically examining how these benefits contribute to achieving specific goals. The current literature often lacks a holistic view that considers the broader societal implications and sustainability aspects of sports programs. Understanding the nuanced relationships between sports, public health, and sustainable development is crucial for designing targeted interventions that can maximize positive outcomes across multiple goals. Furthermore, the inclusivity of sports services has been a recurring theme in research, emphasizing the importance of making sports accessible to diverse populations. However, a gap persists in understanding the effectiveness of inclusive sports programs in addressing equity-related targets.

Research exploring the impact of sports on marginalized and vulnerable communities, including the elderly, disabled, and socio-economically disadvantaged, is essential to ensure that the potential benefits of sports are realized by all segments of our society.  Furthermore, the role of sports infrastructure in promoting public health has received attention, but there is room for deeper exploration into how well-designed urban spaces and sports facilities can contribute to sustainable urban development. Additionally, the governance and policy dimensions of leveraging sports for sustainable development remain an underexplored area. A comprehensive understanding of the policy frameworks and organizational structures that support the integration of public health and sports services is vital for creating an environment conducive to achieving health-related goals.

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research at the intersection of public health and sports services. The overarching purpose is to explore how the integration of public health initiatives and sports services can contribute to achieving public health goals, fostering a holistic approach to well-being and societal advancement. This Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to share their insights, methodologies, and success stories that showcase the potential synergies between public health and sports in the pursuit of sustainable development. By identifying and bridging these research gaps, this Special Issue aims to contribute to a more robust knowledge base that can inform future policies, programs, and initiatives at the nexus of public health, sports, and sustainable development. Research papers focusing on, but not limited to, the following topics are welcomed in this Special Issue:

1. Inclusive sports services for all.
2. Sports infrastructure and urban planning for health.
3. Sports governance and policy for sustainable development.
4. Technology integration for health and sports monitoring.
5. Community engagement and empowerment through sports.
6. Global collaborations for sports diplomacy and health.
7. The economics of sports for sustainable development.
8. Educational programs integrating sports and health.
9. Psychosocial benefits of sports participation.
10. Environmental sustainability in sports.

Dr. Vassilis Barkoukis
Dr. Despoina Ourda
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.