Fairness Under Pressure – How Institutions Effectively Combat Discrimination in Sports
When? Wednesday, November 4, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Where? DeZIM_Saal, Mauerstrasse 76, 10117 Berlin
Sports is one of the few social spaces where people from different social, cultural, and political backgrounds regularly come together. At the same time, it is one of the largest volunteer-driven sectors in Germany. Precisely for this reason, issues of belonging, recognition, and exclusion are particularly evident here.
The event focuses on the question of how policymakers and sports organizations can strengthen the integrative function of sports while simultaneously moving beyond a case-by-case approach to develop sustainable, preventive, and effective strategies. Various sports—from soccer to boxing—serve as a starting point for examining the interplay between volunteerism, institutional responsibility, and discrimination. The discussion will also explore the role that experiences of belonging, recognition, or exclusion play in willingness to volunteer, trust in institutions, and the intergenerational transmission of volunteer roles—as well as the resulting scope for action by policymakers and sports organizations.
Building on the National Discrimination and Racism Monitor (NaDiRa), the discussion will explore how reliable data and continuous monitoring can support political governance. The event brings together stakeholders from sports, politics, and academia.
Panel:
- Prof. Dr. Frank Kalter, Director of the DeZIM Institute
- Zeina Nassar, German professional boxer
- Otto Addo, former professional soccer player and coach, ROOTS – Against Racism in Sports e.V.
- Fritz Güntzler, Member of the Bundestag (CDU), Member of the Committee on Sports and Volunteer Work
Moderator:
- Dr. Özgür Özvatan, Berlin Soccer Association
Anmeldung
Please register here by November 3: REGISTRATION