Football for Equality Project - Tackling homophobia and racism with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe!

Partners and funders

EGLSF - The European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation | Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation

Since 2003 EGLSF is member of the FARE network. FairPlay and EGLSF have been partners in diverse projects, vor example in the predecessor project of Football for Equality.

The European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF) was founded in 1989 as a network of LGBT sports groups. Unlike today, it was difficult then to get into contact with other groups. Today, the EGLSF links over 100 groups, providing them with 'tools' to announce sport events, exchange information, discuss sports and much more!

The aims of EGLSF are:

  • fight against discrimination in sport on grounds of sexual preference

  • stimulate integration in sport and emancipation of lesbians and gays

  • enable and support the coming out of gay and lesbian sports men and women

  • exchange information and enable co-ordination between European sport groups and tournaments

  • support the founding of new gay/lesbian/bisexual/straight/transgendered and mixed sport groups

We are a federation which is open to gay, lesbian, straight and mixed sport groups and organizations. At the moment this network has more than 10,000 members within over 100 organisations and sport groups. In the EGLSF all member organisations are autonomous: the Federation is operating as a servicing and co-ordinating body.
We promote, amongst other things, the organisation of EuroGames, the European Gay & Lesbian Championships.

You may ask: "Why is it necessary to have special events and sports groups just for the LGBT community?"

The reasons vary from one country to another, since every country in Europe is different. However, most of us know it is not easy to come out about your sexuality in a 'regular' sports group. Some may even have been in situations where they felt harassed, were called names, or worse. They may have felt that by being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender they were not accepted by their fellow club members.

LGBT sports groups experience the same discrimination when they want to compete in regular events or join existing sports associations. Did you know that in some countries it isn’t possible to rent a volleyball court if you say it’s for an LGBT event? We think this is not acceptable. Sport is supposed to be fun.

We therefore need to work towards a climate in sports where people can be what they are, of their own free will, whether gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight. The EGLSF works towards that goal, together with LGBT mainstream organisations, like ILGA and others, as well as with European institutions like the European Council and the European Union.

External link in new windowhttp://www.eglsf.info

The main tasks within the FfE-project are:

  • Together with the Schwule Museum Berlin organisation of an Exhibition during the Women's World Championship in Germany ("on the other side"): materials, art contest and exhibition catalogue

  • EURO 2012: Setting up a Pride House during the EURO together with FSE

  • Production of information materials tackling homophobia at the EURO: awareness raising, diversity trainings, Fan Guides and

  • Promotion for the Pride House and LGBTIQ-Communities

  • EuroGames: production of infomaterials for Rotterdam 2011 and Budapest 2012

  • Coordination of know-how exchange on addressing homophobia through sport between the organising commitees in Rotterdam and Budapest

  • The Exhibition "Against the Rules" will be shown in Budapest during the EuroGames

  • Organisation of a mini-conference on anti-homophobia in Budapest - June, 25th

  • Like every project partner, EGLSF is participating in the FARE-Action Weeks 2011 and 2012

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FSE - Football Supporters Europe | Hamburg, Germany

OUR MISSION
The Football Supporters Europe network (FSE) is an independent, representative and democratically organised grass-roots network of football fans' in Europe with members in currently 37 countries across the continent.

We think that there are enough issues that need to be acted upon in modern football such as ticketing, fan culture, discrimination and policing in football, and football fans should finally speak up, loudly and clearly with a powerful, united, influential and independent representative voice within the structures of the game in Europe!


HISTORY
FSE can trace its history back to the international collaboration by fans' organisations under the old name of Football Supporters International to provide "Fans' Embassy" advice, information and support services to fans of national teams at international tournaments.

But the real story of FSE as it now exists, as a democratic, membership-based organisation, began in July 2008, when the UK's Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) hosted in London the first European Football Fans' Congress.

The London meeting, held at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, discussed the issues which concerned fans across Europe , and gave a great impetus to the development of the network. The following year, in Hamburg, the second European Football Fans' Congress (EFFC) was held, and alongside the workshops on issues such as discrimination, policing, ticket pricing and commercialisation, the decision was taken to adopt statutes and formally establish the network.

Membership was made open to fans as individuals, as well as to fans' groups organised at local or national levels, and democratic elections were held to appoint a committee to develop the network further. The first Europe-wide campaigning activities were launched, and in a significant milestone the FSE has been recognised by UEFA as their European dialogue partner on fans' issues.

The FSE committee is composed of the members elected at each year's EFFC, plus representation from the Hamburg-based co-ordination office and from the FSE "departments", the semi-autonomous on-topic divisions charged with responsibility for the development of specific areas of work undertaken by FSE, in addition to usual working groups. These departments are currently the Disabled Fans' Rights Division, and the Fans' Embassy Division, which co-ordinates the work of Fans' Embassy teams particularly but not exclusively for fans of national teams.

The more we are, the stronger we are -
without the committment of grass-roots football fans, FSE would be nothing!

External link in new windowwww.fanseurope.org


The main tasks within the FfE-project are:

  • EURO 2012: Action Days for Respect and against Discrimination at the Fans´ Embassies
  • Diversity Trainings on discrimination, homophobia and racism for Fans´ Embassies´ staff (together with EGLSF)
  • EURO 2012: Setting up a Pride House during the EURO together with EGLSF
  • FanGuides for LGBT-Communities (together with EGLSF)
  • Like every project partner, FSE is participating in the FARE-Action Weeks 2011 and 2012

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L'udia proti rasizmu | Bratislava, Slovakia

L'udia proti razismu

L'udia proti rasizmu is a non profit organisation located in Bratislava. L'udia is a member of the FARE AdminGroup and cooperates in many activities of the FARE network since 2005.

External link in new windowwww.rasizmus.sk
External link in new windowwww.futbal.rasizmus.sk


The main tasks within the FfE-project are:

  • The Exhibition "Against the Rules" will be shown in Bratislava in February 2013
  • Organisation of an International Conference in Bratislava in April 2013 together with FairPlay
  • Conference magazine, materials and report
  • Like every project partner, LUDIA is participating in the FARE-Action Weeks 2011 and 2012

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SPOLINT - Institute of Sport Development | Ljubljana, Slovenia

Spolint Institute

SPOLINT is project partner in the Football for Equality project. It is situated in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Self-description:

The SPOLINT Institute of Sport Development offers a neutral platform for reflection, network building, policy formulation, leadership development, research and resource mobilization in the fields of physical culture and sport.
SPOLINT, Institute of Sport Development has been established by joint effort of the following institutions, accumulating 25 years of experience in the field of sport and health:

  • Institute of Fair Play and Tolerance in Sport (established 2001; officially renamed into Spolint institute in 2011)

  • Asthma and Sport Organization (established 2000; annexed to Spolint institute in 2011)

  • International Institute of Sustainable Development, Policy and Diplomacy in Sport (established 2009)

     

External link in new windowwww.spolint.org

The main tasks within the FfE-project are:

  • Football for Equality Tournament in Slovenia in May 2012

  • The Exhibition "Against the Rules" will be shown in Slovenian language in May 2012

  • A round table on the topic of LGBT-rights and sports, homophobia and discrimination in general will be organised in May 2012

  • Like every project partner, SPOLINT is participating in the FARE-Action Weeks 2011 and 2012

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UISP - Unione Italiana Sport per Tutti | Rome, Italy

UISP and FairPlay cooperate since 1999, which is the year of FARE's foundation. UISP is a founding member of the FARE network.

WHAT UISP IS?
UISP (Unione Italiana Sport Per tutti) is an association of sport for all with the aim to extend the right to sports practice to everyone. Sport for all is a good connected with the health, life quality, education and social relations. This is why it deserves the acknowledgment and public protection.

Sport for all is a right, an immediate reference to a good life quality to be strengthened day by day both in the traditional frameworks and in environment. Sport for all interprets a new right of citizenship, it belongs to the "life policies" and, also by having experience with a number of competitive activities, it is justified thanks to the values, which are not referable to the supremacy of the result, which is typical of the absolute performance sport.

Sport for all, only one word, a new one, which already exists in real life, but is still not written into the dictionary. We decided to have this identity, we have wanted to give the central importance of UISP to the single person, the citizen, women and men of any age, everyone of them have their rights, motivations, their differences which have to be recognised and evaluated: the differences of age, abilities, disabilities, sex differences, different motivation for practising sports.

The only difference which we fight against are social inequalities and lack of equal opportunities. "No one excluded" is the saying that we choose for ours activities. The most part of our activities are inspired to the promotion of inclusion through the sports activity.
Sport for all means right this: to rewrite our sport purpose, to redesign the activity of every teaching "made to your measure", following the profile of everyone, always remembering the profile of UISP: the culture of rights, of environment, of solidarity.

WHAT UISP DOES?
Our mission is to demonstrate that "an other sport is possible". This not only means to develop cultural innovation, but also to concretely transform it in technical experimentation, methodological and organizational. UISP sports Leagues have made own and reinforced these strategic options.

Sport for all has potentially extended to all the citizens the offer of physical practice like concrete research and experimentation of a better quality of life. Sport for all is first of all related to health and physical well-being, it privileges open air practices, it is exposed to the elaboration of experiences that take advantage of sweet and not dissipative energies; it uses poor and changing systems; it asserts a relationship with the time and with the same technical measurement embezzled to the obligatory nature of the record: it makes lever on a need of emotion mortified by the routine.

Uisp, through its initiatives has the objective to give value to the several faces of sport, from that competitive one (with particular attention to the not competitive and amateurs world) to that spectacular one, from that instrumental (sport for health, well-being, environment protection) to that expressive (collective and individual practices outside of structured sports circuits). The greatest Uisp sport for all initiatives are launched in spring since the beginning of the '80s: Vivicittà, Giocagin, Bicincittà, Diamoci una Mossa. These are sports event that involve tens of Italian and foreign cities at the same time and that see Uisp together with important Italian associations, from Unicef to WWF, from Legambiente to Libera (the association against mafia), from Aism (the association for the sclerosis research) to Amnesty International.

Uisp tries to deepen and to show the several faces of "sport for all" and its "social value".
The topic of the solidarity, declined on the field of inclusion and socialization, it becomes the nerve of one of the several projects that Uisp realizes on the land of the denied rights. As in the case of the immigrates projects.

Considering the socio-cultural value of sport, the not oral language can become an encounter place between different languages, cultures and ideologies. The objective is to reach a public awareness of public opinion and of a pacific cohabitation between people of different cultures through the use of sport like socialization
instrument.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND UISP
Uisp, Italian Sport for All Association, has exceeded 1.200.000 of active members and more than 16.000 sports clubs. You can find UISP in all regions and cities: 162 regional and local committees, engaged in 28 sports disciplines. Dates of meetings and conferences are on our site: www.uisp.it

28 NATIONAL SPECIALITIES LEAGUES:
Athletics, Autocross, Basketball, Billiards, Bowls, Canoeing, Chess, Cycling, Dance, Gymnastics, Golf, Horse-riding, Kart, Ice sports, Martial arts, Motorcycling, Physical activities for elderly people, Mountain sports, Rowing, Sailing and windsurf, Skating, Skiing, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Traditional sports and games, Underwater activities, Volleyball.

External link in new windowwww.uisp.it


The main tasks within the FfE-project are:

  • Designing and implementing a campaign against homophobia in Italy
  • Implementing anti-homophobia measurements at the Mondiali Antirazzisti
  • Connecting anti-racist teams with LGBTIQ teams at the Mondiali Antirazzisti
  • The Exhibition "Against the Rules" will be shown at the Mondiali Antirazzisti 2012
  • Like every project partner, UISP is participating in the FARE-Action Weeks 2011 and 2012

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Funders and national co-funders

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Content

www.fair-play.info/