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Armelle Mazé


Armelle MazeArmelle Mazé is currently (2013) co-president of the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF), and involved in the LGBT sports movement at the French and European level since 2009. As a representative of EGLSF, she also joined in 2010 the interim board of the FARE Network (=Football Against Racism in Europe).
Founded in 1989 in Amsterdam (Netherlands), the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation is supporting the network of over 150 sports clubs representing more than 10,000 individual members all over Europe.

The EGLSF is the organising body, under license, of the EuroGames, the European LGBT multi-sportive championships, which gather 3000 to 5000 participants from all over Europe. The most recent EuroGames rook place in 2012 in Budapest (Hungary). This was the first time the EuroGames were organised in a central European country in which LGBT rights are still at stake.
Currently, EGLSG is paying specific attention to support the creation and development of an active network of LGBT sports clubs in central and eastern European countries.
At the Euro2012 football tournament of the UEFA in Poland and Ukraine, the EGLSF organised with the support of local LGBT sport clubs a Pride House in Warsaw where football fans and its club members could meet and enjoy the games in a welcoming environment. Through all of its activities, the EGLSF amd all its its club members aim to provide a positive and safe environment for everyone in sports.
Over the last decade, the EGLSF has been an active member of the Consultative Committee of the Council of Europe in promoting LGBT rights through sports. The EGLSF was also involved in several EU funded projects by the European Commission (DG Justice) under the label Football for Equality,, coordinated by FairPlay VIDC. Since 2011, the EGLSF is coordinating the the EU funded project Pride in Sport. Preventing and fighting homophobic violence in sport (DG Education and Culture) and prepared the Handbook on LGBT inclusion in sport.
As part of the EU program Youth in Action, the EGLSF is currently working with mainstream sports organisations on specific education actions to raise awareness and prevent all forms of discriminations in sports. In March, 2013, the EGLSF was the first international sports organisation to endorse the Brighton Declaration on Women and Sport.