Summary Researchers and policymakers acknowledge sports clubs (SCs) as health promoting settings. Limited research links the health promoting sports club (HPSC) concept with evidence-driven strategies to provide SCs guidance to develop health promotion (HP) interventions. As implementation science insists on theoretically grounded interventions, the present work’s objective was to provide SCs an evidence-driven intervention framework for planning, developing and implementing HP initiatives. Four iteratively sequenced steps were undertaken: (i) investigation of ‘health promoting’ indicators, (ii) adaptation of the HPSC concept to create the HPSC model, (iii) formulation of published evidence-driven guidelines into strategies and implementable intervention components (ICs) and (iv) merging the HPSC model with the ICs to create an intervention planning framework for SCs. First, researchers drafted five HPSC indicators. Second, they defined three SC levels (macro, meso and micro) and four health determinants (organizational, environmental, economic and social) to create an HPSC model. Third, researchers used published guidelines to develop 14 strategies with 55 ICs. Fourth, three workshops (one each with French master-level sport students, French sport and health professionals and Swedish sport and health professionals) had participants classify the ICs into the model. The HPSC model and intervention framework are starting points to plan, select and deliver interventions to increase SC HP. This planning framework is usable in several ways: (i) clubs can apply strategies to achieve specific goals, (ii) clubs can target specific levels with corresponding ICs and (iii) ICs can be used to address particular health determinants.

Background Researchers and policymakers have acknowledged sports clubs (SCs) as health promoting settings. Limited research links the health promoting sports club (HPSC) concept with evidence-driven strategies to offer SCs guidance to develop health promotion interventions. As implementation science insists on theoretically grounded interventions, this work's objective was to provide SCs an evidence-driven intervention framework for planning health promotions. Methods A 4-step process was undertaken: 1) investigate indicators for SCs to be considered health promoting, 2) adapt the theoretical HPSC concept to create a HPSC model, 3) reformulate published evidence-driven guidelines into implementable intervention components (ICs) and 4) merge the model with the ICs to provide an intervention planning framework for SCs. During 3 workshops, researchers defined the model elements and ICs. Workshop participants classified ICs into the HSPC model. Each IC could be classified multiple times within the model. Results Researchers drafted 5 HPSC indicators: 1) an approach embracing all SC actions, 2) involve all SC levels in actions and decisions, 3) involve external partners, 4) promoting health is continuous and iterative and 5) base actions on needs. To create the HPSC model, elements were defined: 3 SC levels (club, management, coaches) and 4 health determinants (organizational, social, environmental, economic) per level based on the indicators. Published guidelines from literature reviews aided in developing 14 strategies with 55 ICs. Workshop classification of ICs into the model included: club (n = 79), management (n = 67) and coaches (n = 48). Conclusions The theoretical HPSC model and intervention planning framework act as starting points to develop and implement interventions to increase HP efforts by stakeholders in several ways: 1) SCs can apply strategies based on goals, 2) SCs can target specific levels with corresponding ICs or 3) ICs can target specific health determinants. Key messages A Health Promoting Sports Club model defines 4 health determinants at 3 levels (coach, management operational) of sports clubs to plan, develop and implement targeted health promotion activities. This HPSC intervention planning framework has 14 strategies with 55 intervention components targeting multiple sports club levels giving stakeholders a path to become a health promoting sports club.

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