NOC of Ukraine’s Athlete Entourage and Women in Sport Commissions Explore Collaboration through ALIGN (05.06.2026)
05.06.2026, the NOC of Ukraine’s Athlete Entourage Commission and Women in Sport Commission held a joint meeting dedicated to advancing gender equality, inclusion, and good governance in Ukrainian sport.
During the session, Olga Danko, Chair of the Athlete Entourage Commission and Project Leader of ALIGN, presented ALIGN (Advancing Leadership, Inclusion and Gender Equality in Neighbourhood Sports with Europe), an Erasmus+ Sport Capacity Building project bringing together partners from Ukraine, Moldova, and the European Union.
Participants discussed the project’s objectives, upcoming activities, and opportunities to engage the expertise of the NOC of Ukraine’s commissions in its implementation. The discussion focused on identifying areas of synergy between the commissions’ ongoing work and ALIGN’s efforts to promote gender-responsive governance, strengthen women’s leadership, and foster more inclusive decision-making in sport.
The meeting also explored potential avenues for cooperation and highlighted the value of coordinated action in bringing European good governance standards closer to the daily practice of sport organisations.
“Sport reflects the society in which it exists. If we want it to be fairer, more inclusive, and more people-centred, change must start with the way sport is governed. ALIGN was designed to help sport organisations strengthen leadership, advance equality, and embed ethical governance in their structures and decision-making processes. At the same time, for the Athlete Entourage Commission, it is essential that athletes and their needs remain at the centre of these reforms. That is why the potential for collaboration between the commissions and ALIGN is so significant,” said Olga Danko, ALIGN Project Leader and Chair of the NOC of Ukraine’s Athlete Entourage Commission.
Larisa Zaspa, Chair of the NOC of Ukraine’s Women in Sport Commission, added: “Equal opportunities and meaningful representation of women in sport are fundamental elements of good governance. We see ALIGN as an important platform for advancing women’s leadership and translating shared values into practical actions that can create lasting positive change across the Ukrainian sport community.”
The joint meeting marked an important first step towards closer cooperation between the commissions and the ALIGN project, opening new opportunities to support a more inclusive, ethical, and athlete-centred sporting environment in Ukraine.
About the Project
ALIGN (Advancing Leadership, Inclusion, and Gender Equality in Neighbourhood Sports with Europe) is an Erasmus+ Sport project co-funded by the European Union, working to make sport governance in Ukraine and Moldova more inclusive, transparent, and aligned with EU and Olympic standards. Implemented from April 2026 to March 2028, the project is led by the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine in partnership with Olympic Moldova, the University of Vienna (Austria), and Impact Force (Ukraine). ALIGN supports National Olympic Committees, sports federations, and leaders through research, practical tools, training, and mentorship. Its goal is to embed gender equality and inclusive governance into the structures of sport, creating lasting systemic change, with project results and digital resources sustained for at least five years beyond its completion
The ALIGN project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.