Scottish visit to the Spoho

People at the meeting
from left to right: Gitta Axmann, Matthew Bell, Maree Todd, Elisabeth Schlüssel, Astrid Schubring, Andrew Sinclair, Gerard King, Hanwei Zhang, Katja Derichs, Kristof Jaczina, Karina Esch, Stefanie Haberstock (photo: private)

Among the several thousand Scottish soccer fans who came to Cologne for their team's European Championship match against Switzerland was a member of the Scottish Parliament: Maree Todd. The Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport visited the Institute for Sociology and Gender Research at the Sport University.

On the same day, the European Championship match between Scotland and Switzerland took place in Cologne. During her meeting with the staff of the Sport University, Maree Todd held talks with the Institute of Sociology and Gender Research, including the head of the Department of Sport Sociology, Prof. Dr. Astrid Schubring, Gitta Axmann, a member of the Diversity Research Department, Elisabeth Schlüssel and other members of staff at the institute. During the visit, research and teaching focuses were presented and there was a lively exchange about the similarities and differences between the two countries in the areas of health management, body ideals, discrimination and violence prevention in sport and diversity management.

Maree Todd, who originally trained as a pharmacist, has been a member of the Scottish Parliament since 2016. She was Minister for Children and Young People and was appointed Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport in March 2023. In her role, she is committed to improving social care and mental wellbeing and promoting sport as a means of empowering young people.