A sports tournament has used the stories of former sporting stars that stood up against discrimination to promote the values of respect and tolerance among 50 school children in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The event ‘Through sports for tolerance’, constituted of a series of activities in basketball, football and dodge ball, included discussions on discrimination and human rights.

“These children will one day be future champions, coaches and fans and for that reason we have to help them understand the importance of being tolerant and respectful to others”, said a representative of the organisers, Union of Bulgarian Journalists.

The stories of former athletes including the tennis players Billie Jean King and Amelie Mauresmo, the referee John Blankenstein and the Olympic diver Greg Louganis, were some of the examples given to explain how sports can be used to advocate for inclusion and equal rights.

The initiative was organised in the frame of the European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation funding programme for Central and Eastern Europe and with the support of the European Commission.

The Union of Bulgarian Journalists participated in the 2013 Fare Football People action weeks with a media encounter on discrimination.