“Team Up for Respect: Promoting Bully-Free Zones in Grassroots Sports”, known simply as “B-Free”, is the name of the new international project in which the Bragança Football Association is a partner. The project’s kick-off meeting took place in Oslo, Norway, on the last 19th January 2026.
The project addresses bullying in youth sports, a serious and widespread challenge that undermines the fundamental values of sport and the well-being of young athletes. It highlights the harmful behaviors — ranging from verbal taunts and social exclusion to physical intimidation — that many young athletes face on the playing field. Such behavior does not merely hurt the ego; it has profound physical, psychological and social consequences. Young athletes who are victims of bullying often suffer from anxiety, loss of confidence and even physical symptoms of stress. In the long term, such a toxic environment can strip sport of its joy and camaraderie, leaving lasting scars on the development of children and young people.
Recent studies reveal alarming rates of bullying in youth sports. In a survey conducted across six European Union countries, almost 65% of young people involved in sport reported having experienced psychological violence (e.g. bullying, humiliation or insults) during their childhood. Team sports appear to generate higher rates of peer aggression – one study reveals that around 26.7% of athletes have been involved in bullying (as victims or perpetrators), compared to 19.1% in individual sports. These figures suggest that one in four young athletes may directly face or participate in bullying within a sporting context.
This project consortium comprises nine organizations from eight countries: Norway, Turkey, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Malta and Portugal, represented by Bragança FA.
