What we do
Whether you’re looking for a club, running one, or want to support inclusive sport, there’s a place for you in the Out For Sport community.
LGBTQ+ Out For Sport Festival
Come and try dozens of sports in London’s most welcoming sports day.
Out For Sport Awards
Celebrating the clubs, volunteers, and leaders making LGBTQ+ sport better for everyone.
Club support
If you run a club, we’re here to help you grow, connect, and be seen.
Our four pillars
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Creating stronger clubs
Clubs get the tools, training and connections they need to grow and become more inclusive.
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Strengthening the voice of LGBTQ+ clubs in sport
LGBTQ+ inclusive sport gets the profile and recognition it deserves, with clubs supported to make their voices heard.
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Bringing clubs together
Clubs meet, share knowledge and learn from each other, building a strong network across London and the South East.
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Broadening participation in LGBTQ+ sport
More LGBTQ+ people find their way into sport through entry points designed for everyone in the community.
Out For Sport trustees
The people behind Out For Sport are volunteers, just like you. Our trustees give their time because they believe sport should be safe and welcoming for everyone.
Co-Chair
David Lionetti
David joined Out For Sport as a trustee in 2023 and became Co-Chair in 2024. He co-leads the charity through its current phase of growth and development.
Co-Chair
Suzanna Maas
Suzanna was re-appointed to the board in 2024 and became Co-Chair alongside David. She brings experience from Ishigaki Jujitsu and a commitment to inclusive governance.
Trustee
Cleo Lyn
Cleo was re-appointed in 2024 and brings connections to London Royals Hockey Club and a passion for community sport.
Trustee
David Callaghan
David has served on the board since 2023, contributing to the charity’s governance and strategic development.
Our history
From a handful of London clubs in 1998 to a registered charity supporting LGBTQ+ sport across London and the South East.
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1998
Bringing a community together
Out For Sport was founded after the Gay Games in Amsterdam in 1998, led by Ivan Bussens of Out To Swim, to bring London’s LGBT sports clubs together and encourage more people from the community to take part in sport.
Ivan saw the need for a grassroots body to connect teams, share knowledge and help clubs grow. From the start, it was built by clubs, for clubs.
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1999
The first multi-sport event
In spring 1999, six London LGBT sports clubs came together to organise the UK’s first LGBT multi-sport event, Out For Sport 1999, at the National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace.
Swimming, squash, basketball, football and athletics drew participants from across London, the UK and Europe, showing what clubs could achieve together.
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2000
Visibility through Pride and the millennium
In 2000, Out For Sport helped promote Waltham Forest’s Gaysports Festival, part of London’s millennium celebrations, and established a visible presence at London Pride, helping more people discover LGBT sport.
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2002
Building identity on the world stage
At the 2002 Gay Games in Sydney, Out For Sport coordinated a unified team kit so athletes from London and across the UK could march together in the Opening Ceremony.
The idea stuck, and the team returned in matching kit for the 2006 Games in Chicago, building a shared identity and stronger links between clubs on the international stage.
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2004
Taking a seat at the global table
In late 2004, Out For Sport became a Director Organisation of the Federation of Gay Games, giving it a formal voice in the international movement through its representatives Ivan Bussens and Sion O’Connor.
Around the same time, Ivan also supported London’s Olympic bid as an LGBT Ambassador, helping connect the bid with the community.
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2005–2011
Building bridges across the movement
In 2005, Out For Sport hosted the Building Bridges conference, uniting the Federation of Gay Games, GLISA, EGLSF and others at a time of division in the international LGBT sports movement. After Ivan Bussens died in 2007, activity slowed and the first chapter of Out For Sport drew to a close.
In the years in between, it supported clubs with fundraising, advice and access to funding, and raised money for causes such as Body Positive and Sport Relief.
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2012
Revival through the Olympic legacy
Out For Sport was revived in 2012 on the momentum of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. During Out For Sport Week, held between the Games, more than 15 clubs ran over 20 free taster sessions for more than 200 people.
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2013
Rebuilding ambition and participation
In 2013, Out For Sport held its first School Sports Day and backed London’s bid to host the 2018 Gay Games, with delegates travelling to Cleveland, Ohio for the final presentation.
The bid wasn’t successful, but it showed the ambition of London’s LGBT sporting community.
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2014–2018
Rebuilding the network
These years brought steadier leadership under co-chairs Matt Hill, from 2016, and Vicki Carter, who helped turn Out For Sport into a more connected and visible community.
Supported by a committed volunteer committee, they grew participation and strengthened partnerships across London.
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2019
A stronger programme takes shape
By 2019, Out For Sport had a regular programme of events and support. The annual Sports Fair was a fixture, and training helped clubs grow and become more inclusive, confirming its role as the network for LGBTQ+ sport in London.
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2020–2021
Responding to a global pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic brought training, competition and social connection to a halt for many clubs. Out For Sport shifted its focus to supporting clubs with communication, training and guidance, and keeping the network connected.
Wellbeing, good governance and resilience became a bigger part of its work through a time of uncertainty.
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2021–2022
Bidding to bring EuroGames to London
Out For Sport led a bid to bring the EuroGames to London in 2025. After a close vote in March 2022, Lyon was chosen as host city.
The community-led, festival-style bid brought together clubs and partners across London and was a powerful statement of ambition from the city’s LGBTQ+ sports community after the pandemic.
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2022
Becoming a registered charity
In March 2022, Out For Sport became a registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), giving it stronger governance and a firm footing for long-term growth.
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2023
A new era of trusteeship
In 2023, following its registration as a charity, Out For Sport recruited a new board of eleven trustees, bringing experience in grassroots sport, governance, finance and communications.
It was a step change in capacity, giving the charity stronger foundations to grow and support its network of clubs.
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2024
Launching the LGBTQ+ Out For Sport Festival
In June 2024, Out For Sport launched the first LGBTQ+ Out For Sport Festival at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, and David Lionetti and Suzanna Maas became co-chairs.
Around 20 inclusive clubs offered free taster sessions, a big step up in scale and ambition for the charity.
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2025
Supporting clubs through change
The LGBTQ+ Out For Sport Festival returned to Crystal Palace for a second year, again bringing clubs together to welcome new participants.
At its Annual General Meeting, Out For Sport also brought clubs together to discuss changes affecting inclusive sport, including the UK Supreme Court ruling and related Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance.
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Today
Looking ahead
Out For Sport continues to strengthen its core work and support its network of clubs, building on recent growth to shape the next chapter of LGBTQ+ sport in London and the South East.
We all just stick together and have each other's back, and that's just really special.
