Latvia shaping EU goals on gender equality in sport

Euractiv

5 days ago

This article is part of our special report TARGET – youth football players as ambassadors for gender equality .
From challenging stereotypes to aligning club accreditation with equality indicators, Latvia is localising European best practices to achieve gender equality in sport, building momentum for wider regional change.
Elīza Spruntule and Miks Vilkaplāters are two key figures leading Latvia's grassroots transformation towards a more inclusive and gender-equal football culture under the EU-funded TARGET project.
Spruntule, a former national team defender and now Head Coach of the WU-15 national team, combines her roles at the Latvian Football Federation (LFF) and RFS Women to promote girls' participation and leadership across all levels.
Vilkaplāters, Director of FS Metta and Chairman of FK Metta, brings a dual perspective as both a grassroots coach and a communications specialist, embedding inclusive values from the earliest stages of player development.
They spoke with Euractiv about how the TARGET methodology is being applied on the ground, and how campaigns, accreditation systems, and community partnerships are helping to break down stereotypes and institutional barriers.
EURACTIV: The TARGET project emphasises embedding STEM and self-efficacy into coach training. How have LFF-led initiatives incorporated STEM-based activities or frameworks to enhance both male and female players' confidence and analytical thinking on the field?
ES: The TARGET methodology draws on concepts from social psychology and education, including self-efficacy theory (Bandura), but does not directly embed the STEM curriculum in a traditional sense.
Instead, it applies STEM-style analytical thinking through football exercises that simulate real-life problem-solving and systems thinking. For instance, in 'The Efficacy Match', players must solve complex social problems collaboratively while navigating football challenges, building their confidence in analysis, teamwork, and resilience.
The LFF supports this by integrating such TARGET-designed activities into coach education workshops, where coaches receive practical training on structured, problem-solving games that blend football technique with broader cognitive skills.
EURACTIV: The 'We Have Wings' campaign, launched by LFF, aims to challenge stereotypes and boost women's football participation. How are you evaluating the communication campaign's reach, and how does that align with TARGET's wider EU-level amplification strategy?
ES: The 'We Have Wings' campaign aligns with TARGET's bottom-up and top-down communication framework. Communication reach is measured through engagement indicators on social media, community event participation, media coverage, and surveys of coaches and players.
These data points are compared across national partners for EU-level scalability, coordinated through EURACTIV and UEFA. The LFF's team reports this data into the shared TARGET framework, feeding Latvian results into the overall EU assessment.
EURACTIV: As a visible ambassador for TARGET, how do your strategies differ in promoting gender equality at the U-15 level compared to the elite tier with RFS women?
ES: At the U-15 level, the focus is on basic awareness-building about stereotypes, experiential learning (e.g., the 'Unequal Roads' relay), encouraging confidence, and creating inclusive norms early.
With elite RFS women players, the strategy shifts to consolidating leadership skills, addressing complex issues like double standards, preparing public role models, and tackling structural challenges.
U-15s may lack the vocabulary to express gender issues, while elite players may face institutional resistance or burnout. But elite players' visibility offers an opportunity to cascade change back to the grassroots.
EURACTIV: How is TARGET aligning with or enhancing the LFF's club accreditation processes? Are you tracking indicators like female coaches or participation rates?
ES: TARGET complements the LFF's accreditation process with a gender-equality lens. Clubs are encouraged to integrate gender-equality training into coach licensing, adopt pro-equality norms, and monitor female coaches and participation.
TARGET also offers monitoring tools like post-training surveys, coach feedback, and social media metrics, ensuring that gender equality is actively measured and promoted.
EURACTIV: How is Latvia translating lessons from international partners into its own context? What are the plans to scale up successful tools across the Baltic or wider EU?
ES: Latvia is adapting lessons from partners like Estonia, Malta, and Ukraine through coach education seminars, school and community collaborations, and youth-led social media campaigns that localise messages while aligning with EU strategy.
To scale up, we plan joint workshops with neighbours like the Lithuanian FA, leverage UEFA support for pan-Baltic tournaments, and keep tools like the TARGET coach handbook open-access. TARGET is designed for this combination of local adaptation and EU-wide consistency.
I also want to reflect on the course we organised for coaches, where participants shared painful personal experiences. It was a powerful reminder that gender inequality affects everyone differently and that these stories matter.
Through TARGET, we found clearer, more proactive ways to support each other – raising our voices rather than staying silent. With the right tools and a supportive environment, we can build the confidence to act, challenge harmful stereotypes, and grow a broader, united community that stands for equality.
EURACTIV: TARGET emphasises countering stereotypes from as early as age two. How are you adapting inclusive coach-training modules for children aged U-4 to U-8?
MV: Until the age of 8, all children train in mixed groups, and from age 4, we teach boys and girls not just football, but life skills – how to wear equipment, collaborate, be kind, stay safe, and learn without pressure.
This foundation helps them understand individuality and respect differences. We focus on interpersonal skills through football, not results or performance level. Later, this helps children understand their role and rights in society.
EURACTIV: FS Metta is known for community engagement. How have you integrated TARGET messaging – such as gender equality and STEM – into your events or communications?
MV: For over 10 years, we have developed a girls' football system and been a leading voice in Latvian football. Beyond the 1 per cent that go pro, we advocate equal football education for all – infrastructure, coaching, equipment, accessibility – regardless of gender.
We use new tools to make football more accessible, especially for girls. There should be no limits on participation because of gender or assumptions about ability. Everyone deserves proper football education.
EURACTIV: Can you describe a time when you addressed gender bias in your sessions using the TARGET methodology?
MV: Empathy and kindness are the starting point. Football is education – teaching children they are not alone in feeling pain, shame, or fear. When they learn to put themselves in others' shoes, they think before speaking, offer help, or stand up to injustice.
This foundation helps them understand that it is okay to be different in opinions, style, or beliefs. Once you have that, there is no room for judgment based on gender, socio-economic status, or physical appearance.
EURACTIV: How does FS Metta coordinate with the LFF and other TARGET partners to share feedback and align your training methods?
MV: We have built strong relationships with all the partners. Beyond the theory and practice, we have exchanged real-life experiences and best practices from our clubs and countries. This exchange is proof of why this issue matters in football.
We talk about adapting the methodology, how our coaches and players respond, and how to reach wider audiences through media. I hope we can continue developing these collaborative ties.
EURACTIV: Looking ahead, how will FS Metta embed TARGET's principles into long-term operations? Are there plans to train mentors or partner with schools?
MV: We have mentored coaches to raise awareness of gender equality and how to address it. We will also involve our players – boys and girls – in TARGET activities, letting them experience the challenges faced by the opposite gender.
The most active players will become role models in media and school outreach, raising awareness beyond football. Everyone should have equal access to football education, regardless of gender. That is our priority and message to all.
[The interviews have been edited for brevity.]
[Edited By Brian Maguire | Euractiv's Advocacy Lab ]