Source: European Parliament
The Commission has demonstrated a strong commitment to building a Union of Equality, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for all, notably through the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025[1], LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025[2], as well as through funding programmes such as Erasmus+[3].
As announced in the President of the Commission’s Political Guidelines[4] and in the 2025 Commission Work Programme[5], the Gender Equality Strategy and the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy will be renewed beyond 2025. The Commission also adopted the Roadmap for Women’s Rights[6] on 7 March 2025.
Based on the core principle of autonomy of sport, it is for each sport and its governing body to decide on the participation of athletes in sport competitions.
The Commission notes the International Olympic Committee’s Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity and Sex Variations[7], that offers a 10-principle approach to help sport organisations to develop criteria applicable to their sport.
The Commission’s commitment to equality and inclusion alongside the evolving policies of sports federations, plays a key role in shaping a fair and inclusive environment for women’s sports.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0152
- [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52020DC0698
- [3] https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/
- [4] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf
- [5] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/7617998c-86e6-4a74-b33c-249e8a7938cd_en?filename=COM_2025_45_1_annexes_EN.pdf
- [6] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/0c3fe55d-9e4f-4377-9d14-93d03398b434_en?filename=Gender%20Equality%20Report%20Chapeau%20Communication.pdf
- [7] https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Beyond-the-Games/Human-Rights/IOC-Framework-Fairness-Inclusion-Non-discrimination-2021.pdf