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Ursula Espeter: Sports badge awarded for inclusion in NRW sports!
On October 29, 2025, Ursula Espeter was awarded the NRW sports plaque in Düsseldorf for her commitment to inclusive sport.
Ursula Espeter: Sports badge awarded for inclusion in NRW sports!
A special event was celebrated in Düsseldorf on October 29, 2025, when State Secretary Andrea Milz awarded the sports plaque of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This highest award for commitment to sport honored twenty citizens who had particularly distinguished themselves in North Rhine-Westphalia. Ursula Espeter stands out among the distinguished personalities, who received special praise as a co-founder of the TABALiNGO Sport & Kultur association. TABALiNGO, founded 15 years ago in Stolberg, Aachen city region, offers over 25 inclusive sports and cultural activities for people with and without disabilities.
Ursula Espeter has initiated groundbreaking initiatives in recent years, including the first inclusive football league in the Middle Rhine Football Association (FVM) and the first inclusive sit-down table football league in Europe. Their vision of an inclusive sports landscape not only includes the football department of TABALiNGO, which is one of the largest in the inclusive sector and currently has eight teams playing, but also numerous other projects that promote cooperation between people with and without disabilities. The positive experiences that result from training and playing together are a core concern for Espeter.
Commitment to inclusion
Ursula Espeter's commitment goes far beyond sport. She is active in regional sports associations and is committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities at the local and political level. Their efforts were recognized in 2022 with the Egidius Braun Prize, which came with a monetary award of 5,000 euros. When you put their efforts together, it becomes clear that Espeter has a knack for promoting inclusive concepts and is committed to a sporting future without barriers.
During the award ceremony, State Secretary Milz emphasized the importance of securing the visibility and future of volunteer work. This year there was also an innovation: for the first time, people under the age of 27 could also be honored, which underlines the urgency and relevance of this topic.
The Inclusion in Sport Index
The promotion of an inclusive sports landscape is supported by initiatives such as the “Index for Inclusion in and through Sport”. This index, developed by the German Disabled Sports Association in collaboration with various institutions, serves as a guide for sports associations and clubs that want to position themselves as inclusive. It is based on the first German-language “Index for Inclusion – Developing Learning and Participation in Schools of Diversity” and supports raising awareness of inclusion in sport.
With goals ranging from self-determination to equality in organized sport, the index will certainly also be important for clubs like TABALiNGO to further advance the inclusive vision. The development of the index is also supported by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and can be further developed based on experience.
The sports badge and the inclusion index are significant steps towards an inclusive society in which diversity is not only accepted but seen as an asset. Ursula Espeter is a shining example of how committed action and an open heart can build bridges and make the sports landscape accessible to everyone.
Read more about the award on the website Middle Rhine Football Association, find out more about the Inclusion Index in sports, or find out about current events MyProfile.