Polish organisation Chrząszczyki Sports Club debated how to break the silence on homo- les- bi- and transphobia in Polish sport at their #FootballPeople weeks event in Warsaw, Poland on 16th October.

Sexual orientation and sexual identity are still taboo subjects in Polish sport, in almost every discipline. Non-heteronormative people are invisible and the nation's culture, especially sport culture, does little to help create the conditions to help them come out of the closet.

"Homo-les-bi-transphobia in sport is neither talked nor written about: media and sport institutions are silent, there's no program, no strategy at any level to make marginalized non-heteronormative people more visible," said Suzi Andreis of Chrząszczyki Sports Club.

"We want to change this situation, to start a public debate about homo- les- bi- transphobia, which is part of our everyday life."

By organising the event Chrząszczyki's aim was to create a space where people who work against or face these forms of discrimination felt free and safe to share their experiences.

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The meeting took place in Warsaw, at Dom Braci Jabłkowskich on Tuesday, October 16th.

The grassroots club invited LGBTQA people involved in sport with experience in grassroots organising to help them share their knowledge with those present. The format was an open forum discussion in which both participants and guests had the opportunity to share their thoughts and speak out on the issues. The following guests took part:

Karolina Hamer (swimmer and the first professional athlete in Polish sport who came out)

Lou Engelfield (Campaign Director of Football V. Homophobia, UK)

Justyna Dziabaszewska (football player/ graphic artist)

Suzi Andreis (Chrząszczyki Sports Club) and others.

Moderator: Agnieszka Kozakoszczak

The event was held in cooperation with FARE Network Development Grants as part of the #FootballPeople weeks, Europe's largest social campaign for tackling discrimination and driving positive social change through sport. The action weeks take place from 11-25th October 2018, with more than 2,000 events taking place in 60+ countries.