Breaking the Barriers: Progress and Challenges towards Gender Equality in the Sports World

While progress has been made in recent years towards achieving gender equality in the sports world, significant challenges still remain. Despite advancements in leadership roles, barriers and gender bias persist. A 2023 survey by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance revealed that only 26.9% of executive positions in international sport federations are held by women, with just three out of 31 federations surveyed having female leaders.

However, some organizations have made strides towards greater diversity and inclusion. The International Olympic Committee has achieved gender-equal representation on its commissions and increased the number of female members ahead of schedule. Additionally, the World Athletics Council has set goals to increase the number of female coaches by 2025 and has already reached gender parity among its members.

Looking ahead, efforts are being made to increase the representation of women in leadership roles such as Chef de Mission, Technical Official, and coach. While progress is being made, much work remains to be done to achieve true gender equality in the sports world. It is crucial that we continue to address important issues such as pay gaps, violence, and abuse while working towards a more diverse and inclusive future for all athletes and officials.