“Sports teams should make all kinds of minorities visible, including LGBT people,” asserts former Finnish president Tarja Halonen. “I have been working for LGBT people in sports. It is still very much a taboo whether there can be gay or lesbian coaches, when we, the heterosexuals are expected to be coach for both,” she said.
President Halonen was taking part in a Council of Europe event in Helsinki for national human rights institutions, equality bodies and Ombuds institutions to examine and enhance their own role in promoting equality and social inclusion. The conference gathered around 180 participants and aimed at bridging the gap between international Human Right standards and the reality on the ground.