🟣 Why TIME TO TEAM matters: sport is more than competition

ttt
5 giu
Tempo di lettura: 2 min

Inclusion is not a side issue in sport. It is the heart of what sport can and should be: a space where people grow, connect, and feel safe. Yet, for many transgender people, sport remains a closed door—a place of discomfort, invisibility, or outright rejection.

That’s why TIME TO TEAM matters.

This project, co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Sport programme, isn’t just about policies or procedures. It’s about changing cultures. It’s about training coaches and managers not just to accept trans people in sport—but to understand them, to support them, to actively make space for them.

It’s not about being politically correct. It’s about being human.

During our first months of work, we’ve seen how small things make a big difference: a more inclusive registration form, a coach who listens without judging, a teammate who speaks up when someone jokes at another’s expense. These details build—or destroy—belonging.

We’ve also seen how many sport workers want to do better, but simply don’t know how. They fear saying the wrong thing. They worry they’ll offend. Or worse—they worry that inclusion will “complicate” the team. That’s why education is at the centre of TIME TO TEAM. Because knowledge replaces fear. Because listening changes behaviours.

Inclusion isn’t about lowering the bar—it’s about raising the standard

A truly inclusive team is not one that tolerates difference. It’s one that recognises difference as a strength. A good coach doesn’t ignore identity—they create the conditions for every person to feel seen and respected.

That’s why we don’t talk only about gender. We talk about rights and responsibilities, about how to create a locker room where no one is afraid. About how to manage a team where every voice counts.

Looking ahead

The road is long, but the direction is clear. The TIME TO TEAM journey is just getting started—but already, stories are emerging. Stories of reflection, of awareness, of real change.

We’ll keep telling them. We’ll keep listening. We’ll keep building a future where sport belongs to everyone.

Because sport is not just about winning—it’s about showing up, being welcomed, and playing together.