Sport is a place where you can move, grow, fail, try again, and connect with others.
Unfortunately, for many LGBTQIA+ people, sport does not always feel that way.
Some stop participating in sport when they come out. Others constantly adapt themselves in changing rooms, on the field, or gradually withdraw from their team—and sometimes from sport altogether. Some never find a place where their sexual orientation, body, gender identity, or way of being can simply exist without question.
At the same time, we also know that sport can be incredibly powerful.
It can bring people together. Strengthen self-confidence. Create a sense of belonging.
It is within that tension that SportSafe(r) was born.
What Is SportSafe(r)?
SportSafe(r), a project by Out For The Win, aims to help build safer and more inclusive sporting environments for LGBTQIA+ people across Flanders.
To create those spaces, we support individuals who want to start an initiative of their own. Your idea, your sport, your way—with the full support of Out For The Win.
We do not do this by presenting “the solution.”
Instead, we want to build, test, learn, and provide support together with the community.
Over the coming years, SportSafe(r) will focus on:
- Community building through sport
- Supporting queer sports initiatives
- Empowerment and self-organisation
- Strengthening connections between LGBTQIA+ people and the wider sports sector
- Developing practical tools and sharing knowledge
Why SportSafe(r)?
Sport is not neutral.
Sport involves bodies, rules, expectations, teams, visibility, and often ideas about who does—or does not—fit within a certain norm.
Research shows that LGBTQIA+ people in sport still regularly face exclusion, unsafe situations, or discriminatory comments.
As a result, many queer athletes leave their sports clubs, avoid certain spaces, or feel compelled to hide parts of who they are.
These experiences affect:
- mental health
- social connectedness
- physical health
- self-confidence
- participation in sport and society
At the same time, there are people everywhere who are trying to do things differently:
- sports clubs that want to learn
- queer sports groups creating safer spaces
- coaches who consciously work more inclusively
- athletes who make space for one another
SportSafe(r) aims to bring these people, initiatives, and experiences together—and strengthen them.
The Pillars of SportSafe(r)
SportSafe(r) is built on several clear principles.
> Your Space, Supported by OFTW
We do not believe in a project that talks about the community without engaging with it.
That is why we start by gathering input through conversations and shared experiences.
- What is already working today?
- What challenges are people facing?
- What is still missing?
> Safety Comes Before Visibility
We deliberately choose a careful and community-minded approach to communication.
This includes:
- no pressure to be visible
- consent-based use of images and media
- clear agreements, codes of conduct, and safeguarding measures
- opportunities to participate or provide feedback anonymously
That is also why we consciously talk about safe(r) spaces.
We cannot guarantee absolute safety, but we can actively build conditions that are safer, more respectful, and more caring.
> Projects End, Impact Doesn't
SportSafe(r) aims to be more than a series of separate activities.
Throughout the project, we are investing in:
- a network of sport ambassadors
- support for local initiatives
- exchange between queer sports groups
- practical toolkits
- collaboration with mainstream sports clubs and organisations
The goal is not only to create temporary connections, but also to ensure that knowledge, networks, and initiatives can continue to exist after the project itself has ended.
What's Next?
In the coming months, we will focus on conversations and gathering input from the community.
Find us at events, or send us a message. At the same time, we are exploring how we can better reach you, too.
We want to leave room to adapt, learn, and collectively shape what SportSafe(r) can become.
Together, we are creating space for queer sport and placing inclusive sporting experiences at the centre of what we do.
Will you join the conversation?
Maybe you recognise yourself in this story.
Maybe you once stopped participating in sport.
Maybe you are looking for a place again.
Maybe you are already organising something yourself.
Maybe you would like to get involved in sport but are not quite sure how.
You do not have to be an athlete (yet) to be part of this conversation.
- What does safety in sport mean to you?
- What would make sport more accessible for you or your community?
- Which spaces give you a genuine sense of belonging?
Think along with us.
Together, we can build a sporting world for everyone.