Four initiatives funded by the Olympic Refuge Foundation tackle inclusion and hate

04 September 2025 – Four projects have each been awarded USD 50,000 as a part of the Collaborative Action Grant, funded by the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF) on behalf of the Sports for Refugees Coalition, for organisations working to support displaced people through sport.

The selected initiatives span across Lebanon, Germany, Cyprus and Greece, and embody the two priority themes of the grant: “Bridging Communities”, which emphasises the role of cities in driving inclusion; and “Sport Against Hate”, addressing discrimination, misinformation and hate speech through sport. All four initiatives involve new partnerships with members of the Sport for Refugees Coalition, ensure meaningful refugee participation, and demonstrate scalable potential.

After a competitive selection process featuring a panel of reviewers with lived experience of displacement, the following initiatives have been granted the opportunity to implement their projects from September 2025 to August 2026:

Lebanon: Inclusive wheelchair basketball in refugee camps

PACES Charity and Threads of Peace, supported by Choose Love, will implement a wheelchair basketball and peacebuilding initiative that aims to reduce discrimination against children with disabilities in two Palestinian refugee camps, Beddawi and Nahr el Bared, northern Lebanon. The project addresses the lack of inclusive sport for young people with disabilities and the stigma they face within their communities. Participants will benefit from structured sports sessions that aim to build confidence, while parents will be supported in developing their skills to create peacebuilding initiatives that promote the acceptance of their children in society.

Greece: Inclusion through yoga, fitness and skateboarding

Yoga & Sport with Refugees (YSR) and Free Movement Skateboarding (FMS) are collaborating to deliver inclusive sports sessions in Athens, Greece. In response to a rise in xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiment in recent years, this project brings together refugees and local communities through sports sessions and community events.

Activities combine yoga, fitness and skateboarding in public spaces in Athens to reduce isolation and empower refugee coaches through skill-building and leadership pathways. The initiative also includes training for YSR staff in skate coaching and the development of a methodology for refugee-led programme delivery.

Cyprus: Sport-based dialogue to challenge hate and misinformation

Play Against Stereotypes and Smears (PASS) is an initiative designed by Generations for Change Cyprus and Athletes for Hope to counter hate speech and refugee-related misinformation in Cyprus. The project addresses a growing trend of disinformation that affects public attitudes and fuels social tension.

Through workshops, tournaments and media outputs such as video campaigns and myth busters, PASS aims to encourage young people affected by displacement to become active voices against misinformation. The project uses the reach of sport, particularly football, to challenge harmful narratives and misinformation.

Germany: Empowering young women to become sports leaders

Girl Power, in collaboration with Butterfly by Yusra Mardini (BYM) and local partners, will train girls and young women in Hamburg, Germany, from refugee and marginalised communities to become sports coaches. Focused on football and mentorship, the programme addresses barriers such as discrimination and lack of safe spaces.

The project builds on Girl Power’s more than a decade of experience supporting girls through sport, whilst ensuring sustainability through local connections – established by BYM – with schools, immigration centres and local authorities to promote leadership among adolescent girls, many of whom are at risk of dropping out of sport due to challenges around access.

Together, these four projects exemplify the power of sport to drive inclusion in cities, challenge discrimination, and foster collaboration across sectors. By centring refugee voices and building strong local partnerships, each initiative contributes to a more inclusive and holistic response to displacement. The Olympic Refuge Foundation and the Sport for Refugees Coalition look forward to actively learning from these pilot initiatives and exploring their potential for scale over the year to come.