About EQUIP project
The main aim of the EQUIP project is to improve equality in sport in Europe through the practical and sustainable implementation of the existing good practices and policies. The EQUIP project was conceived out of the acknowledgement that research and advocacy are strong in prioritising equality, but concrete actions are still lacking.
EQUIP partners believe that equality should be approached from an intersectional lens in which every European citizen can freely and safely participate in sport regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical ability, race and/or ethnicity, religion, age or any other discriminatory criteria.
10
partners
6
umbrella sport organisations
from 6 countries
20
clubs and federations as equality champions
EQUIP and its experts have created useful tools to move from policy to action and improve equality in grassroots sport in Europe
Publications
IO1: Index of top policies and practices
EQUIP and its experts have gathered the most highly regarded practices and policies on various equality themes. Whilst the content of this Index is heavily influenced by the composition of the contributors and by the project group, it has been conceived to bring useful inspiration for sport organisations and policy makers to continue working on equality in sport.
IO2: Equality Within Sport’ Workshop – Delivery Guide
IO3: Equality-Action Plan Design Guide
Do you want to tackle inequalities in your own club or federation? Are you an umbrella organisation supporting your members toward positive changes? Check out the ‘Equality-Action Plan Design Guide’ which was created and used by EQUIP partners across Europe. It is a friendly-user tool that can be easily adapted to your reality and provide you with precious resources to lead the change.
IO4: Main learnings from the EQUIP project
This report aims at supporting the larger ecosystem of European sport organisations to learn from the EQUIP project. Throughout the project, a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team defined quality control mechanisms for the project delivery and management and captured the learnings from the different phases of the project with particular attention to the implementation phase where Champion Clubs and Champion Federations led the way, actioning different plans crafted for their contexts. Learning from the processes, outputs, and outcomes became a priority not only for the MEL team but also for all the partners involved.
IO5: Case Stories: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
This mini-series of videos captures the key learnings from the EQUIP project. It is designed to inspire and educate other sports clubs and federations in Europe to take action for equality. Topics covered are gender equality, sexual orientation, disabilities, socio-economic background, and the inclusion of refugees.
Meet the project team
This project is a result of a collaborative partnership between 10 European organisations.
Floriane Poncet-Rief
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
Project Officer – EQUIP Project Manager
Laurent Briel
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
Policy Director (2021-2022)
Carole Ponchon
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
MEL team
Marisa Schlenker
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
MEL team
Rachel May
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
Creation of IO3
Sarah Townsend
European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF)
Co-President
Hugh Torrance
European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF)
Co-President
Anabela Reis
Portuguese Sports Confederation (PSC)
Vice President of the Board
Pedro Berjano
Portuguese Sports Confederation (PSC)
General Director
Daniel Alsarve
Riksidrottsförbundet Örebro (RF-SISU Örebro)
Expert on gender Equality/Researcher
Jonas Karlsson
Riksidrottsförbundet Örebro (RF-SISU Örebro)
Operation Manager Public Health and Society
Jasmin Benca
Riksidrottsförbundet Örebro (RF-SISU Örebro)
Expert Inclusion
Linda Rombolà
Organizzazione per l’Educazione allo Sport (OPES)
Project Manager in International and European Affairs Department
Sara Massini
Organizzazione per l’Educazione allo Sport (OPES)
Head of International and European Affairs Department
Federica Mussuto
Organizzazione per l’Educazione allo Sport (OPES)
Italian Rugby Federation
Laura May
Centre for Ethics in Sport (ICES)
Policy and Communication Officer
Matthias Van Baelen
Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC)
External Affairs & Press Relations Manager
Sakis Kostaris
Hellenic Paralympic Committee (HPC)
Managing Director
Sam De Vor
Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NL NOC*NSF)
Program Manager Inclusive Sports
Gijs Haasnoot
Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NL NOC*NSF)
Project Cooperator Team Inclusion & Diversity
European Non-Governmental Sport Organisation (ENGSO)
EQUIP is coordinated by ENGSO, the European Sport NGO, the leading voice of voluntary sports organisations in Europe, representing National Sport Confederations and National Olympic Committees from 33 European countries. The mission of ENGSO is to promote the interest of sports organisations in Europe with the main aim to be a bridge-building organisation among different organisations dealing with grassroots sport activities. ENGSO serves as a European network of information and a platform of knowledge and experience, seeking common political positions and the publicization of these positions.
The Equality Within Sport (EWS) Committee of ENGSO oversees the implementation of EQUIP. EWS is an elected committee of equality expert organisations tasked to activate and inspire sport organisations in Europe to act on equality. EWS holds the European seat in the International Working Group (IWG) on Women & Sport.
Website: www.engso.eu
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Floriane Poncet, ENGSO Project Officer and EQUIP Project Manager
- Laurent Briel, ENGSO Policy Officer
- Rachel May, Project Manager
- Carole Ponchon, MEL team
- Marisa Schlenker, MEL team
European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF)
The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF) was founded in 1989 and is a Europe-wide organisation. Its objectives are to fight for a respectable place for people who suffer structural discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics, in the field of sport, as a human right. The EGLSF aims to oppose discrimination in sports, and to promote inclusion and mutual understanding in sports among all sport organizations in Europe, with a specific focus on LGBTIQ people and those with other non-binary identities. The EGLSF is an associated member of ENGSO.
Website: www.eglsf.info
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Sarah Townsend, Co-President
- Hugh Torrance, Co-President
Portuguese Sports Confederation (PSC)
The Portuguese Sports Confederation, is a Non-Governmental sports organization and multisport federation founded in 26 of January 1993, with Statute of Sports Public Utility.
The aims and activities of the Portuguese Sports Confederation are:
- To defend the exercise of the right to sport as an essential factor for the integral development of the human person and as an obligation resulting from the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and the Basic Law of the Sports System;
- To promote sports association and relations with similar organizations in other countries;
- To intervene in national sports policy and participate in strategic sports guidelines in general, as a social partner, with the State;
- To represent all sports federations, before the State, the European Union and similar organizations of other countries;
- To provide, within the scope of their respective activities, support to their associated sports federations;
- To promote the coordination of interests between sports federations; promote and support sport-related cultural, educational and training initiatives in all its aspects;
- To contribute through sport to reduce regional asymmetries and social inequalities in access to sport.
- To defend and promote participation in sport on the basis of equal opportunities without discrimination on the grounds of sex, age, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or the fact that they are citizens with disabilities.
- To promote values of ethics and sporting spirit, supporting all forms of Anti-Doping fighting, as well as combating all forms of corruption and violence associated with sport.
Website: https://cdp.pt
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Anabela Reis, Vice President of the Board
- Pedro Berjano, General Director
Riksidrottsförbundet Örebro (RF-SISU Örebro)
RF-SISU Örebro County is one of the Swedish National Sports Federation’s (RF) 19 regional organizations. Its mission is to support, lead, represent, develop, form and educate sport clubs and regional sport Federations. In Örebro, there are 600 sport clubs with 123 000 members in sport activities. They are led by more than 20 000 voluntary leaders.
RF-SISU Örebro is a unifying force for the district’s sports movement. The aim is a healthy, strong and well-functioning sport where individuals are allowed to grow in a safe environment. Its challenge is to create conditions for associations, covenants and its members to flourish so that more people can and want to sport their entire lives. RF-SISU Örebro County works with sport policies and brings forward and monitors important issues for the sports movement in the general public debate and to authorities and decision-makers.
RF-SISU Örebro is also the sports movements education association. The organization offers members and leaders in sports associations education, new knowledge and development in several areas. We also organize meetings where conversations and exchange of experiences put ideas in motion that lead to change and development for both the individual and the sport club, which in the end effects the whole society.
Website: https://www.rfsisu.se/orebrolan/
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Margareta Johansson, Public Health Manager
- Daniel Alsarve, Expert on gender Equality/Researcher
Organizzazione per l’Educazione allo Sport (OPES)
Opes is an Italian Organization born in 1980 to promote the practice of sport in Italy. Today, it is considered an important ramification and presence around the country and is active in the promotion of various initiatives. OPES represents a dynamic reality in the field of Social and Sportive Promotion, being an entity that promotes and organizes, in collaboration with the Affiliate Sports Associations, numerous no-profit athletic and recreational initiatives at the local, provincial, national and international level. OPES is the italian entities representing CONI within ENGSO.
Website: http://www.opesitalia.it
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Linda Rombolà, Project Manager in International and European Affairs Department
- Sara Massini, Head of International and European Affairs Department
Centre for Ethics in Sport (ICES)
The Centre for Ethics in Sport (ICES) is a knowledge centre recognised by the Flemish Ministry of Sport to inform, sensitise and support sport organisations in Flanders and Brussels (Belgium) on a wider array of ethical issues in sport, such as equality and diversity (e.g., gender and sexual identity). ICES has five main objectives:
- To act as a knowledge centre regarding ethics in sport (see themes below)
- To raise awareness on ethics in sport amongst sport organisations and sensitise them to take concrete actions
- To translate knowledge on ethics (in sport) into concrete instruments (e.g., formation, infographics) and offer mentoring to sport organisations
- To support the Flemish Government regarding their ethical sport policy, measures and actions
- To monitor and evaluate existing policies, practices and instruments on ethics in sport.
Currently, ICES is mainly focused on the following ethical themes: fair play, sexual violence in sport (safeguarding children and youth), gender equality and sexual diversity, sport parents, bullying and match fixing.
Laura May, Policy and Communication Officer
Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC)
The Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC) is the National Olympic Committee (NOC) that represents the Olympic Movement and its values in Belgium. The BOIC is an “interfederal” non-profit association. It is the umbrella organisation over the national sports federations, which usually consist of two or even three community leagues. The representatives of these 81 sports federations are member of the General Assembly of the BOIC. Together they represent around 30,000 sports clubs and 2,000,000 active members.
The political competence on sport and sports policy in Belgium belongs to the three language communities (Flemish, French-speaking and German-speaking community). Each community is responsible for its own elite sport policy and elite athletes. The NOC is the Olympic partner in elite sports in Belgium and fulfils its mission in close cooperation with the sport administration of the three communities: Sport Vlaanderen, Adeps and Ostbelgien. Although the NOC is mainly considered as an elite sport partner, the NOC is also engaged in various activities that directly or indirectly support sport at grassroots level.
Website: https://teambelgium.be/nl/
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Matthias Van Baelen, External Affairs & Press Relations Manager
Hellenic Paralympic Committee (HPC)
The Hellenic Paralympic Committee (HPC) is the authority responsible for the development and promotion of the Paralympic Movement in Greece. It oversees the selection and formation of the Teams that represent Greece at the Paralympic Games. It promotes the Paralympic Movement in Greece and offers incentives to people with a disability and encourages especially young people to get actively involved in sports and athletic activities.
The HPC offers opportunities for people with a disability to reach their maximum athletic potential and achieve excellence in sport inspiring through their achievements. Supporting a wide range of activities from recreational sport to high performance athleticism for people with a disability, the Hellenic Paralympic Committee strives to encourage and support people with a disability to participate in sports and take the joy of sport. Through this process it supports the socialization and the equal integration of persons with a disability into Greek society.
Website: http://www.paralympic.gr
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Sakis Kostaris, Managing Director
Dutch Olympic Committee*Dutch Sports Federation (NL NOC*NSF)
NOC*NSF is the umbrella body of organized sport in the Netherlands with 75 affiliated members. Most members of NOC*NSF are national sport federations. The missions of NOC*NSF are :
- to increase sport participation (from 65% to 75 %)
- to achieve a place for Team NL in the top 10 of the international medal ranking.
NOC*NSF promotes the interests of its members and is also the responsible entity for sending a national team to the Olympic Games and to the Paralympic Games. Collaboration with government and sponsors has always been very tight and positive. NOC*NSF is completely autonomous and a trusted partner of the government to activate national sports policies.
Grassroots sports development in the Netherlands is depending heavily on the unique structure of local sports clubs (24.000) and their volunteers (>1 million). However, the sector is getting more and more professionalized, with the 25 largest Federations accounting for over 1.000 FTE. Transitions in society have pushed forward professionalization and innovation in the sector towards more cooperation, technological advancement and new sports products.
The NOC*NSF focuses on creating the best possible conditions for sports in the Netherlands. Its encourages both participation and winning; grassroots sport and elite sport. It promotes excellence in sport, helps athletes win medals, and also strengthens sport research. It encourages people to get a little bit better every day, to use sport as a way of fighting obesity, and to make the Netherlands a safer and better place.
Website: www.nocnsf.nl
They are involved in EQUIP:
- Sam De Vor, Program Manager Inclusive Sports
- Gijs Haasnoot, Project Cooperator Team Inclusion & Diversity
European Lotteries (EL)
The European Lotteries (EL) is the European umbrella organisation of national lotteries operating games of chance for the public benefit. The Association’s EU members contribute more than 20 billion € p.a. to the state budgets and the funding of sport, culture, social projects, research and other causes of general interest.
Indeed, driven by its core values, responsibility, society/sustainability, and integrity, National Lotteries in Europe have a long tradition in supporting sport projects in their countries, including projects seeking to protect the integrity of sport and socially include and integrate underprivileged groups, using sport as a tool.
Website: https://www.european-lotteries.org
Panel of Equality Experts
This active network includes individuals and organisations who have recognised expertise in the challenges and solutions for achieving equality in sport, and in society in general. This group consists of EQUIP project partners as well as external experts who wished to support the project in an advisory capacity. The experts are crucial in ensuring that the project’s approach and its outputs treat the equality topics as comprehensively and accurately as possible, and that key considerations are not being omitted from the process. Their contribution to the EQUIP project output is tremendous.
EQUIP Champions
Sports clubs and federations from Belgium, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden have implemented equality action plans to become more inclusive and accessible to all. They took part in different workshops across Europe and continue to be active after the project. The list and posters below are not exhaustive: more than 60 sports clubs and federations were directly involved and impacted by the EQUIP activities!
- Amateur Wrestling Federation (Portugal)
- Archery Federation (Greece)
- ASD Centro Ippico San Benedetto (Italy)
- ASD Falco (Italy)
- Beach Rescue (Netherlands)
- Equestrian Federation (Portugal)
- Ice Skating Federation (Netherlands)
- Judo Vlaanderen (Belgium)
- Martial arts school- Koshido Budo (Italy)
- Nissa Rugby (Italy)
- Roller Derby (Netherlands)
- Roller Derby (Netherlands)
- Rowing (Netherlands)
- Royal Belgian Football Association (Belgium)
- Royal Belgian Hockey Association (Belgium)
- Skateboard Club (RF SISU-Örebro)
- Sports Club Bandy (RF SISU-Örebro)
- Sports Federation for Persons with Disabilities (Greece)
- Sports Fishing Federation (Portugal)
- Swimming Alliance (RF SISU-Örebro)
- Volleyball Federation (Greece)
- Volleyball Federation (Netherlands)