Albania kicks off with first national event
October 9, 2025
The second national event of the Safer Grassroots Sport (GRASS) project took place in Lisbon, hosted by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Portugal, the project’s coordinator.
Following the successful first event held at NOC Albania, this meeting represented another important step in the project’s mission to strengthen safety and protection for everyone participating in grassroots sport, while promoting a culture of inclusion, respect, and good governance.
The event brought together representatives from Portuguese sport clubs (coaches and administrators), national federations, local authorities, and experts, all sharing a common goal: to provide appropriate action-oriented tools for a more effective safeguarding approach within sport organisations.
Diana Gomes, Secretary-General of the NOC Portugal opened the session with great emphasis on the importance of continuous education and responsibility in sport, underlining that “this is an important step in a journey we have been on together, towards a safer and more inclusive sport for everyone.”.
Throughout the event, participants learned about best practices and explored Safe Sport Tools recently developed within the GRASS project. Fruitful discussions took place, particularly on practical approaches to prevent violence and abuse, enhance inclusion, and ensuring every young athlete is given the opportunity to grow and develop in a positive and safe sport environment.
The strong participation and active engagement of clubs and key stakeholders demonstrated a shared commitment to placing child protection and athletes’ well-being at the heart of sports development in Portugal.
Watch the video recap here!