Cyprus
Memorandum of Understanding
Country
Cyprus
Organization(s) Involved
Cyprus Basketball Federation, Commissioner for Gender Equality
Description of the Practice
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Cyprus Basketball Federation and the Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality.
The MoU represents a formal commitment to promote gender equality in basketball, through joint actions and long-term collaboration. The initiative positions basketball as a vehicle for social change and gender inclusion, aiming to reshape attitudes, policies, and practices within the sport.
Main Objectives
The main objectives of the MoU are:
- Increase female participation in basketball across all levels.
- Educate stakeholders (athletes, staff, board members, and fans) on issues of gender equality.
- Promote equal opportunities for male and female basketball players.
- Encourage applications to European programmes like Erasmus+ that support equality-based initiatives.
- Raise awareness through events and campaigns focused on inclusion and fair representation.
Key Activities
The goal of the MoU is to enhance the participation of women in the sport of basketball through innovative programmes and actions such as:
- Conduct equality training for professional staff, board members, and athletes.
- Organise campaigns and awareness activities during 3×3 basketball events and U8 tournaments.
- Establish a working group and a monitoring and coordination committee to oversee implementation.
- Run educational initiatives such as ‘Her World Her Rules’ to attract more girls to the sport.
- Plan informational and educational actions to foster a culture of respect and inclusion.
Target Groups
- Female athletes, particularly girls and young women
- Basketball federation staff and board members.
- Male athletes and fans, to promote shared responsibility in promoting equality.
- Policy-makers, through collaboration with ministries and national organisations.
- The wider public, via campaigns and public sporting events.
Results / Impact
The implementation of the MoU demonstrates positive impacts across institutional collaboration, public awareness, and policy commitment.
Specifically:
- Strengthened collaboration between sports and equality institutions.
- Raised visibility for women’s basketball and related challenges.
- Increased institutional commitment to equality-based reforms (e.g., training, policy updates).
- Encouragement from government and public bodies, with the Ministry of Education and the Cyprus Sports Organisation endorsing the initiative.
- Positive momentum toward changing perceptions of women’s sports and addressing stereotypes.
A particularly important outcome was the decision by the Cyprus Basketball Federation (CBF) to provide equal allowances to male and female national team players. Since 2023, all athletes representing Cyprus in international competitions receive the same daily allowance and benefits, including costs for travel, clothing, and meals. This decision, made in cooperation with the Commissioner for Gender Equality and the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, reflects the Federation’s commitment to gender equality and is a clear step toward reducing the gender gap in Cypriot sports.
Furthermore, gender-equal representation has been secured in the Cyprus national basketball teams across the U16–U18 age groups.
Challenges Faced
As they work toward gender equality in sports, stakeholders face several ongoing and deep-rooted challenges:
- Ongoing stereotypes that undermine women’s roles and value in sports.
- The underrepresentation of women in decision-making positions within the sports sector.
- Structural inequalities and the traditional male dominance of sports culture in Cyprus.
- Difficulty in changing the public perception that men’s sports are more legitimate or important.
Transferability
The practice is highly transferable to other sports and countries, especially where similar gender gaps exist.
Key elements for successful replication include:
- Strong institutional partnerships between sports federations and equality bodies.
- Clear commitment to actionable goals and monitoring.
- Support from government bodies and sports authorities.
- Inclusion of education, training, and public campaigns to shift attitudes and behaviors.
Link or Supporting Material
Μνημόνιο συναντίληψης ΚΟΚ – Επίτροπος Ισότητας Φύλων (In Greek): https://www.cbf.basketball/el/events/details/event-9644
Ιστορική απόφαση: Ίσες παροχές στην κυπριακή καλαθοσφαίριση για άνδρες και γυναίκες διεθνείς (In Greek): https://shorturl.at/C8UTL
Contact details
Cyprus Basketball Federation
Phone: 00357 22449830
Cancel Gender Based Violence in Basket (CGBV in Basket)
Country
Cyprus
Organization(s) Involved
- Hellenic Basketball Federation (EOK) – project coordinator
- Cyprus Basketball Federation (CBF)
- Bulgarian Basketball Federation (BBF)
- Basketball Federation of North Macedonia
- Center for Social Innovation (CSI)
- Universal Education AKMI KEK S.A
Description of the Practice
CGBV in Basket is a European Erasmus+ Sport initiative that aims to eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) within basketball communities across Southeast Europe. The project involved national basketball federations, a VET institution, and a research centre from Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and North Macedonia. The practice focused on early detection of deviant behaviours, empowering survivors, and raising awareness about GBV in basketball through structured educational and support activities.
The core of the initiative was the development and implementation of a comprehensive training and awareness programme targeted at coaches, trainers, athletes, and administrative staff. It includes a Handbook, surveys, face-to-face workshops, an e-learning platform, and a future case management system. These efforts aimed at building capacity within basketball organisations to prevent, identify, and respond to GBV, and at fostering a safer, more inclusive environment across all levels of the sport The project had 24 months duration (01/12/2022-30/11/24) and Co-funded by the European Union.
Main Objectives
Main objectives of the project were:
- Early detection of deviant and abusive behaviour in basketball settings
- Engage the basketball community in actively preventing and eliminating GBV
- Provide tailored psychological and legal support to survivors of GBV
- Raise awareness and build knowledge on GBV issues at a European level
- Equip coaches and staff with practical tools for prevention and intervention
- Promote a culture of safety, equity, and respect in basketball
Key Activities
The key activities of the project were:
- Development of the “Raising Awareness Handbook” for coaches and staff
- Design and delivery of a training curriculum on GBV identification and response
- Creation of an interactive e-learning platform for asynchronous learning
- Conducting field research including interviews and surveys across four countries
- Organising empowerment workshops and CBT-based activities for athletes
- Planning a Case Management System for reporting and monitoring GBV incidents
- Collaborative events with FIBA, advocacy groups, and national stakeholders
Target Groups
The project was addressed to:
- Basketball coaches and trainers
- Youth and professional athletes (both women and men)
- Sports administrators and federation staff
- Sports psychologists and legal advisors
- Basketball clubs and associations across the partner countries
Results / Impact
The project delivered important outputs contributing to a broader understanding of gender-based violence in basketball and helping lay the groundwork for long-term systemic change:
- Produced a comprehensive GBV Handbook based on research and best practices
- Conducted 40 in-depth interviews and distributed a multi-country survey
- Identified the main types and causes of GBV in basketball (verbal abuse, gender pay gap, lack of policies)
- Raised awareness at national and European level through events and media outreach
- Laid the foundation for long-term cultural change in the sport by influencing training and policies
- Sparked discussions among stakeholders and increased public recognition of GBV in sport
Challenges Faced
Key obstacles and challenges were revealed during the implementation:
- Lack of existing GBV-specific regulations in most basketball organisations
- Cultural reluctance to speak openly about abuse and discrimination
- Inadequate reporting mechanisms and low trust in institutions
- Difficulty in identifying early signs of psychological abuse or subtle harassment
- Unequal access to legal and psychological support for victims in partner countries
Transferability
The CGBV in Basket practice is highly transferable to other sports and contexts.
- The training modules, e-learning platform, and Handbook can be adapted to suit other sports disciplines.
- The case management system can serve as a model for other federations.
- Key principles such as early detection, survivor support, and staff education are relevant across the entire sport sector.
- The consortium’s partnership model demonstrates how national organisations can collaborate on shared social goals under EU frameworks
Link
Contact details
Cyprus Basketball Federation, Phone: 00357 22449830