As part of the Outsport project, the German Sport University Cologne conducted the first comprehensive European study on discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity in sport. The results, published in 2019, reflect the experiences of 5,500 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTI) people from all 28 EU member states.
Active in sports and openly involved in which sports?
85% of respondents had been physically active in the past 12 months. The vast majority participated in individual sports such as jogging, swimming, or fitness (73% compared to 24% team sports), primarily as a hobby (68% compared to 24% competitive and 5% high-performance). 42% practiced their sport in a sports club, one in five respondents alone (21%) or in commercial facilities (20%). A further 16% practiced their sport in clubs or organizations specifically for LGBTQ+ people.
Are they out while playing sports?
51% are out (to almost everyone) (EU average: 36%) - 40% in mainstream sports settings without LGBTQ+ affiliation - 71% in team sports (EU: 51%)
Participation, exclusion and experiences of discrimination
Teilhabe? Ein Fünftel der Befragten fühlt sich aufgrund der sexuellen Orientierung oder Geschlechtsidentität von bestimmten Sportarten ausgeschlossen. Dies gilt vor alllem für trans* Personen (56%) und inbesondere trans* Männer (73%).
Which sports do the respondents feel excluded from?
Football (27%) - Swimming (26%) - Dancing (12%) - Martial Arts (11%) - Boxing (8%) - 96% believe there is a problem with homophobia in sports, and 95% believe there is a problem with transphobia. This is especially true regarding language – four out of five respondents see this as a general problem in sports.
Homophobic/transphobic language is observed primarily in team sports (63%) and at higher competitive levels (65%). Almost half (45%) experience this in their sport, and 78% feel disturbed or discriminated against by it.
16% of active athletes have had negative personal experiences in sports in the last 12 months due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is especially true for trans* people (40%) (compared to 9% of gender-neutral respondents).
What negative experiences have 16% of active athletes had?
81% report verbal abuse/insults – 71% discrimination – 40% verbal threats – 36% cyberbullying – 32% experienced physical boundary violations – 21% even physical violence – reactions to negative experiences and hate crimes – 92% do not report homophobic or transphobic hostility to official authorities. Why not?
40% perceive the harassment as an insignificant problem – 38% doubt that effective intervention is possible. Only one in four respondents knows of possible contact points in the sports sector – 47% are unaware of any contact points at all. Recommendations from the German Sport University Cologne: open and proactive stance, especially from sports associations and state sports federations, on issues of sexual and gender diversity; (further) development of action plans for valuing diversity; anchoring anti-discrimination with explicit reference to gender and sexual diversity in statutes; sensitive training of instructors and coaches; establishment of corresponding working groups; setting up diversity officers/contact points for LGBTI* people; media campaigns for the appreciation of diversity; intersectoral networking with actors from various social sectors.
Background to the study
Of the 858 respondents, 34% were lesbian women, 29% gay men, 17% bisexual, and 20% with another sexual orientation. 25% of respondents were trans*, 75% cisgender. 48% identified as female, 35% as male, and 17% as non-binary. "Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sport: Selected Results and Recommendations for Action: Germany" was edited by Prof. Dr. Ilse Hartmann-Tews, Dr. Birgit Braumüller, and Tobias Menzel of the German Sport University Cologne.
