Sport is far more than a way to stay fit. It shapes mental wellbeing, builds confidence, and strengthens social bonds. In an inclusive setting, it becomes a powerful engine for equality, empowerment, and community life. For persons with disabilities, this power is even greater: sport can boost autonomy, break isolation, and open the door to full social participation. Yet too often, access to sport remains limited, neglected, or reduced to occasional recreational activities rather than recognized as a fundamental tool for wellbeing and inclusion.
Across Europe, however, a growing movement is proving that another model is possible. Among the most inspiring examples is RunChallenge, an inclusive running, walking, and wheelchair-rolling club launched in Milan in 2016 by the non-profit organisation PlayMore!. The idea is simple and radical at once: people with and without disabilities train together, beyond differences and prejudice, guided by qualified coaches and educators, with a shared goal—often taking part in a marathon together.
RunChallenge’s methodology makes the project accessible to people of all ages, physical conditions, and types of disabilities. From its first steps in Milan, the model has already expanded to several Italian cities, including Verona, Bologna, Cagliari, Palermo, and Naples. Each week, mixed groups train side by side—running, walking, or rolling—transforming sport into a lived experience of inclusion and belonging. Performance is no longer the main objective; participation, connection, and mutual support take center stage.
More than a sports initiative, RunChallenge has become a true laboratory of social innovation. It shifts the narrative from competition to community, from individual achievement to collective impact. In a European context still marked by inequalities in access to sport, RunChallenge shows that inclusion is not a slogan—it is a daily practice, built step by step.
Building on this successful model, RunChallenge Europe was launched with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme and a strong international partnership led by PlayMore!. The network brings together ARFIE (Belgium), AETOI (Greece), SCL Sportclub Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V. (Germany), ŠK Run For Fun (Czech Republic), Live Foundation (Finland), Dragones de Lavapiés (Spain), and SDA Bocconi (Italy). Together, they aim to scale up the RunChallenge model across the continent and embed inclusive sport in local communities.
The project follows two main directions. First, it seeks to strengthen and refine the RunChallenge format through research led by Bocconi University and pilot testing carried out by the partner organisations. Second, it focuses on expanding the model to new cities through practical tools designed for replication, including a Digital Handbook, a Social Franchising Agreement, and an online MOOC training course. As part of this effort, five new inclusive running clubs will be launched in five different EU countries, with further expansion supported by ARFIE’s extensive European network.
Set to run for three years, RunChallenge Europe aims to grow well beyond its initial framework, reaching new cities and, in time, even non-EU countries. Its true added value lies in its transnational dimension: the model is tested across different climates, urban environments, and cultural contexts, proving that inclusive sport can thrive everywhere.
In doing so, RunChallenge Europe delivers a clear message: when sport is accessible to all, it becomes more than physical activity—it becomes a shared language of dignity, autonomy, and social change.
