LGBTIQA+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual.

The acronym was originally penned in the Fit for Life Alliance papers only for it to be removed and replaced with "or people in vulnerable situations with respect for diversity regardless of gender or sexual orientation".

Under the partner group, entitled, "empowerment partners", the document reads: "youth, girls and women, persons with disabilities, displaced persons, elderly, and other vulnerable groups or people in vulnerable situations with respect for diversity regardless of gender or sexual orientation".

Despite the change, Iran was the first country to "disassociated itself from the the term 'sexual orientation' while not opposing the consensus”, before Iraq, Russia, Oman, Syria, Qatar, Indonesia, Zambia, Brunei, Belarus, Algeria, Senegal, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Sudan, Palestine, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Somalia followed.

The "Baku Outcome Document - Fit for Life Alliance" was approved by acclamation at the seventh edition of the International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VII).

Gabriela Ramos, assistant director general for social and human science of UNESCO, defended the decision to remove the acronym.

"You are right that the section in which the LGBTIQA+ was mentioned was the partners and the partners had a long list so therefore because there were some countries that were not conformable with this acronym we changed it to something that nominates the very same group of people because UNESCO is an inclusive institution and an institution that promotes human rights," said Ramos.

"Therefore, there are many countries within UNESCO of the same view and therefore we preserve the nomination in a different way but it was included.

"Countries can decide not to work with the group but that document includes the group that we will look with.

"At the end the document was approved by acclamation and therefore that’s what matters because it’s a long list and we are promoting sports as a tool for evolution and equality for integrity and transparency and we need to be inclusive and promote human rights so that’s what we have done today."

The adoption and launch of the Fit for Life Alliance from 120 countries was the outcome of the first UNESCO Global Sports Conference since 2017.

UNESCO’s flagship sports programme aims to accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by improving the wellbeing of young people around the world.

Fit for Life is framed as a solution to help tackle crises in physical inactivity, mental health and inequality in the world of sport that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Increasing grassroots participation in sport and reducing inactivity, supporting the development of inclusive sport policies and empowering young people are among five objectives set out by UNESCO’s social and human sciences programme.

UNESCO also wants to support teachers and coaches and build evidence to aid targeted investments in sport as an accelerator in the COVID-19 recovery.

It believes that Fit for Life will provide sporting organisations and Governments with a joined-up implementation framework that aims to help countries "build back better".

A total of 16 organisations including Nike, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Rafael Nadal Foundation had pledged their commitment to the Fit for Life Alliance.

"The outcome of this conference has surpassed our expectations," said Ramos.

"We launched the Fit for Life Alliance - a network of Ministers of Sport around the world as we had a record participation with 120 countries.

"They are going to be working together to invest more in sport, to put in better measures on social and mental outcomes and look at the investment mechanisms to increase the use of this very important tool.

"We were really encouraged that all regions of the world were represented and all the Minister of Sports committed to certain pledges and there was a strong focus on gender equality."