The coastal city of Poreč, Croatia, hosted the 17th European Fair Play Congress and the European Fair Play Movement General Assembly between September 28 and October 1, 2011.

European University Sports Association – EUSA – was also represented at the congress; Mr Andrej Pisl, EUSA Communications Manager, attended the event and took the opportunity to meet with several speakers and officials in the field of Fair Play and University Sport.

In an informal setting, he introduced the EUSA activities and Enno Harms Fair Play Awards to the President of the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) Mr Carlos Goncalves. On behalf of EUSA President Mr Alberto Gualtieri Mr Pisl thanked Mr Goncalves for the invitation and awarded Mr Goncalves with an edition of the EUSA Anniversary book.

Mr Pisl also met with Mrs Birgitta Kervinen, the President of the European Non-Governmental Sports Organisation (ENGSO), with whom he discussed some of the project of both organisation, with emphasis on an on-going project where ENGSO Youth and EUSA are already partners – the European Anti-Doping Initiative (EADIn).

There were several other important guests and speakers attending the event, among them representatives of Olympians, European Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committees, UEPS Media European Union of Sports Press, Universities, national university sports associations and others. Present at the congress was also Mr Zrinko Custonja, President of the Croatian University Sports Association and EUSA Auditor, who presented a keynote speech on fair play and Croatian society.

The event was organised by the European Fair Play Movement (EFPM) in cooperation with the Croatian Olympic Committee (COC) and partnership with the European Olympic Committee (EOC) and International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE).

After the Opening ceremony on Wednesday, September 28, and video welcome address by Mr Ivo Josipovic, President of the Republic of Croatia the next morning, the event kicked off with five general sessions and one round table. Speakers from all over Europe contributed to the discussions about the key topic themes of this year’s congress: Sport as a part of culture: Fair play as a part of sports culture; The media and the violence in sport; Sport as an agent of moral change and transfer; Etical conduct of sport coaches; Fair play and supporters behaviour. The congress concluded with an interesting round table Culture, Media and Sport.