On 9 February 2018, the round table titled Football People – Whole Rainbow of People was held at the City Hall where the participants opened a discussion on the social role of football, openness and inclusion with special emphasis on the LGBTIQ community, as well.

The City of Ljubljana pays special attention to all those who are especially vulnerable due to some personal circumstance making them a target for prejudice, discrimination… One of such groups is the lesbian, gay, transsexual and bisexual community, that is, people who are, because of their sexual identity or sexual orientation, often victims of discrimination and prejudice.
At the City of Ljubljana we are striving to change the wider social attitude towards the LGBT community and make the society inclusive for everyone. That is why we are supporting activities trying to attain this goal. Among the taboo topics is also the issue of gays and lesbians in sports which is usually only whispered about behind closed doors and is very rarely publically discussed.
We have been uncovering such topics in Ljubljana. For instance, two years ago the exhibition Against the Rules – Gays and Lesbians in Sport was on display at the City Hall presenting the history of the LGBT sports movement and some major sports events as well as some gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual sportsmen and sportswomen. Alongside the exhibition a round table on the topic was organised, as well. In 2014 we were also the sponsor of the international conference of the European Gay and Lesbian Sports Federation which was held in Ljubljana.

With this round table, held alongside the European Futsal Championship, we are opening the discussion on the social role of football, openness and inclusion with special emphasis on the LGBTIQ community, as well. The
conference was organised by the Out in Slovenia Sports Society in cooperation with the DIH Society – Equal under the Rainbow with the support of the Football V Homophobia campaign, the FARE Network and the City of Ljubljana.

The participants in the round table moderated by Igor E. Bergant were the Head of Social Responsibility at the Union of European Football Associations Patrick Gasser, member of the Board of the FARE Network Tamara Tien, Head of Sports for All at the Slovenian Football Association Rajko Korent, the Director of the Spolint Institute Milan Hosta, and football referee and activist from the United Kingdom Ryan Atkin.