Български
Lead Her Game
LeadHerGame roundtable
14.07.2026
On July 14th 2026, the international online LeadHerGame roundtable was held as part of the LeadHerGame – Empowering Women in Sports Leadership project, which co-funded by the through the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. The event brought together representatives of sports organisations, public institutions, researchers, and gender equality experts from seven European countries to discuss the findings of the project's international research and contribute to the development of the upcoming Gender Equality Action Plan for Sport.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the results of a comprehensive study covering the seven partner countries, including analyses of 21 good practices, national reports, focus groups, and stakeholder surveys. The findings show that although women's participation in sport continues to grow, this progress has not yet translated into equal representation in decision-making and leadership positions within sports organisations.
The discussions highlighted several key challenges facing women in sport, including their underrepresentation in governing bodies, persistent stereotypes surrounding leadership roles, limited opportunities for professional development, a lack of transparent recruitment and career advancement processes, insufficient funding, and the ongoing challenge of balancing professional and family responsibilities.
Participants also explored a range of successful European initiatives aimed at creating safer sporting environments, increasing the visibility of women in sport, developing mentoring programmes, promoting women's leadership, and challenging gender stereotypes. Among the featured examples were the Bulgarian initiatives EWA and HER SPORT, which work to empower women in sport while raising awareness, preventing violence and discrimination, and providing support to those affected.
The final session focused on the key priorities that will shape the forthcoming LeadHerGame Gender Equality Action Plan. These include improving governance and transparency within sports organisations, expanding leadership and mentoring opportunities for women, strengthening data collection on women's participation in sport, creating safer sporting environments, ensuring a fairer distribution of resources, increasing the visibility of women's achievements, and developing measurable indicators to monitor progress.
Bulgarian sports development association (BSDA) actively contributed to the discussions, sharing its expertise and national perspective on advancing gender equality in sports governance.
The LeadHerGame – Empowering Women in Sports Leadership project aims to increase women's participation in sports leadership through research, exchange of good practices, policy development, and the creation of practical tools for sports organisations. The recommendations developed during the roundtable will play an important role in finalising the European Gender Equality Action Plan for Sport.
The discussions highlighted several key challenges facing women in sport, including their underrepresentation in governing bodies, persistent stereotypes surrounding leadership roles, limited opportunities for professional development, a lack of transparent recruitment and career advancement processes, insufficient funding, and the ongoing challenge of balancing professional and family responsibilities.
Participants also explored a range of successful European initiatives aimed at creating safer sporting environments, increasing the visibility of women in sport, developing mentoring programmes, promoting women's leadership, and challenging gender stereotypes. Among the featured examples were the Bulgarian initiatives EWA and HER SPORT, which work to empower women in sport while raising awareness, preventing violence and discrimination, and providing support to those affected.
The final session focused on the key priorities that will shape the forthcoming LeadHerGame Gender Equality Action Plan. These include improving governance and transparency within sports organisations, expanding leadership and mentoring opportunities for women, strengthening data collection on women's participation in sport, creating safer sporting environments, ensuring a fairer distribution of resources, increasing the visibility of women's achievements, and developing measurable indicators to monitor progress.
Bulgarian sports development association (BSDA) actively contributed to the discussions, sharing its expertise and national perspective on advancing gender equality in sports governance.
The LeadHerGame – Empowering Women in Sports Leadership project aims to increase women's participation in sports leadership through research, exchange of good practices, policy development, and the creation of practical tools for sports organisations. The recommendations developed during the roundtable will play an important role in finalising the European Gender Equality Action Plan for Sport.
