Decathlon’s purpose is to make sport accessible to all. Even when it seems impossible. That's why Decathlon launched the first eCycling team for prisoners.

We set up a unique collaboration with the Federal Justice Department, Oudenaarde Prison and De Rode Antraciet vzw, a nonprofit that advocates sport and culture in prisons.

In a maximum security prison in Oudenaarde, Belgium, we launched the first eCycling team for prisoners. Decathlon provided them with clothes and equipment (bikes, trainers, …) to cycle on Zwift, a virtual world where 3 million cyclists race and ride together.

Enabling them to ride with people from the outside world for the first time. As anonymous athletes instead of being labeled a prisoner or outcast. The project is ongoing, permanently reconnecting them with society from behind bars. In a podcast, we documented how riding online with others changed their life.

In an epic race streamed live on Facebook by Decathlon, they even competed with a team of judges, lawyers, prison guards and the Minister of Justice.

After racing them live on Facebook on September 14, the Minister of Justice decided to expand the Breakaway project to all Belgian prisons. In collaboration with Decathlon, all prisons will be equipped with eCycling in the coming years.

The live event was broadcast in Dutch (Flanders) and French (Walloon part) on Decathlon Belgium’s Facebook channel.