On April 14th, 2023, a conference and round table on "equal opportunities in sport" was held at the prestigious Pretorian Palace in Koper, Slovenia, in connection with the Billie Jean King Cup. The event brought together various stakeholders in sports to discuss strategies, campaigns, and commitments towards equality in sports.
The conference began with welcoming remarks from the Vice-Mayor of the City of Koper, Ms. Jasna Softic, and the Director of Tennis Slovenia, Mr. Gregor Krusic. Keynote presentations were then made by the President of the ITF, Mr. David Haggerty, and the Treasurer of TAFISA (The Association for International Sport for All), Mr. Janez Sodrznik.
During the presentation, Janez shared insights and best practices from TAFISA's ongoing efforts to promote gender equity and inclusion in sports. He highlighted the organisation's work to create safe spaces for women and girls to participate in sports and discussed the challenges that still need to be addressed.
"Providing equal opportunities to all individuals, regardless of gender, socio-economic status, or religion, is crucial for creating a better world through Sport for All."
Sodrznik's speech was followed by a round table discussion that covered several relevant issues related to equal treatment and ensuring equal conditions in sports. While gender was the main focus, the debate also touched upon the importance of wider equality, including age, race, (dis)ability, culture, sexual orientation, political and religious beliefs, economic and social status, and other characteristics.
The round table featured several distinguished speakers and participants, including:
The Billie Jean King Cup, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, is the premier and largest international tennis team competition for women, launched as the Federation Cup in 1963 and ran by the ITF. The Cup is closely connected with the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), founded by Billie Jean King in 1973 on the principle of equal opportunity, and is one of the global leaders in women’s professional sports.
TAFISA would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the organisers of the conference for their exceptional work in putting together such an insightful and engaging event.
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