Inclusion in Sport

Background Based on available data and information, as well as taking existing experiences of the partners into account, there was a clear need for action identified, to better include people of different ages, genders, abilities, sexual orientations and gender identities in sport. Existing sport events were used for analysis, identifying good practices, developing tools and recommendations to promote equal opportunities and inclusion in sport, also establishing sustainable networks for cooperation. Objectives Inclusion in Sport (iSport) aimed to raise awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion in sports organisations and events, and also aiming to improve it - especially keeping in mind age, gender, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. Through an integrated approach, we primarily targeted the management – governing bodies and event organisers; as well as participants – athletes, coaches and volunteers. Different cross-sectoral stakeholders were engaged in the project. Implementation Several sports events were analysed, identifying good practices and making recommendations how to make the events more inclusive on the practical level. 5 sports and 3 educational events were held within the project. Partners met 4 times in-person and 4 times online. Key governing bodies, experts in the field of youth, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation and gender identity; as well as our educational partner, contributed and developed useful tools and resources. Achievements Project consortium worked through analysing practical cases and researching theoretical background, coming up with two main interactive educational tools: Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and serious game, covering inclusive sport, people with disabilities, women's inclusion, people of all ages, LGBTQ+ in sports. Also two publications: iSport Study cases and Recommendations for inclusive sport were developed, the latter available in 11 languages. Important legacy is also the partners network.