OTTY Transnational Meeting in Lisbon: youth workers together for clean sport

From 15 to 18 December 2025, the partners of the Erasmus+ Sport project OTTY – Only Thanks To You gathered in Lisbon for the second Transnational Meeting of the project. The event represented an important moment of cooperation, training, and exchange between organisations committed to preventing doping among young people through education and sport.

Hosted by the Portuguese partner, the meeting brought together youth workers, trainers, and project coordinators from the different participating countries, offering a space for discussion and practical learning on one of the central challenges addressed by the project: how to support adolescents in making healthy and responsible choices in sport.

A space for learning and collaboration

The Lisbon meeting combined theoretical reflection with practical activities. Through workshops and training sessions, participants explored the educational role of youth sports workers and the strategies they can use to guide young athletes in environments often influenced by pressure, competition, and unrealistic expectations.

The first workshop focused on the role of the sports youth worker as an educational figure capable of supporting adolescents beyond athletic performance. Participants discussed how youth workers can create safe and inclusive environments where young people feel listened to and encouraged to grow not only as athletes but also as individuals.

Rational decision making in sport

Another key session was dedicated to rational decision making in adolescence, a central concept within the OTTY Method. Participants analysed how young people make choices during adolescence, a phase in which impulsivity and emotional reactions often coexist with the still-developing ability to evaluate risks and long-term consequences.

Through interactive exercises and group discussions, the workshop explored how youth workers can help adolescents slow down their decision-making process, reflect on alternatives, and better understand the real consequences of shortcuts such as doping.

Addressing doping in adolescence

A further workshop focused on one of the core questions of the project: how can we effectively counter doping among adolescents?

Participants reflected on the different pressures that young people face today, including performance expectations, body image standards, and social influence. The discussion highlighted the importance of prevention strategies based not only on information but also on dialogue, trust, and education.

Sharing experiences from different countries allowed partners to identify common challenges and innovative approaches already tested in youth sport environments.

Training session: Hard Work vs Doping

The meeting also included a dedicated training session titled “Hard Work vs Doping”, designed to explore the cultural dimension of sport and the importance of promoting values such as effort, perseverance, and respect for one’s body.

The session encouraged participants to reflect on how youth workers can help young athletes rediscover the value of gradual progress, showing that real achievement comes from commitment and patience rather than artificial shortcuts.

Strengthening the OTTY partnership

Beyond the training activities, the Lisbon meeting was also an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation between partners and coordinate the next steps of the project. Participants discussed the progress of the OTTY Method publications and planned the final phase of the project.

Moments of informal exchange and networking reinforced the collaborative spirit that characterises the partnership, confirming once again that tackling doping in youth sport requires a shared effort between educators, organisations, and communities.

The Lisbon meeting marked another significant milestone in the OTTY journey, bringing the partnership closer to its goal: building a new culture of sport where young people learn to value integrity, self-respect, and responsible decision making.