Georges Mischo compared officials to schoolchildren
Gouvernment Official Website
In an interview with Télécran, Georges Mischo admitted that he sometimes misses his job as a physical education teacher, but that in politics he is fully committed. He compared running a ministry to running a school classroom - in both cases, you need a "plan B" and a willingness to admit mistakes. Among his personal disappointments, he mentioned the cancellation of a major sports arena project in Ashe.
Mischo spoke at length about his attachment to the Henri Schmitz Sports Centre in Esch-sur-Alzette, which he helped build as burgomaster. However, the minister noted that the sports infrastructure in Luxembourg has not kept pace with population growth - up to 12,000 inhabitants are added each year, and it takes up to five years from planning to the opening of facilities.
The minister's priority is to support sports federations and clubs to be able to employ professional coaches and administrators while maintaining the role of volunteers. He emphasised the crisis in the sector, with the number of clubs falling from 1,500 to 1,287 since 2019 and volunteers increasingly leaving. Measures include the IPESS initiative, which provides temporary professionals when there is a shortage of staff.
Speaking about high-profile sporting incidents, Mischo announced plans to set up an independent ethics commission for all sports in the autumn, integrated into the anti-doping agency. It would deal with ethics and behavioural issues, including incidents of violence and disciplinary offences.
Asked about the dispute with the unions, Mischo rejected accusations of wanting to weaken their role, stressing that he himself is a member of three unions (LCGB, CGFP and the union of physical education teachers) and is always ready for dialogue. He hopes that the talks, which resume on 3 September, will conclude with an agreement within a month.
The minister also explained how sport helps him to keep his balance and avoid stress. He works out in the gym with a personal trainer, and on holiday he prefers active holidays. This year he will spend 10 days with his children in Japan, planning to combine excursions with a visit to the World Expo.
