Despite the progress that has been made since women first competed on the Olympic stage in 1900, there remains a long way to go for gender equality in sports. Yet, this summer in Paris, the Olympics are expected to reach a milestone with 50:50 representation of male and female athletes. This is an enormous achievement that should serve as a catalyst for the entire sport ecosystem to push further in its efforts for equity.
However, more than awareness campaigns and advocacy in media are needed to close the gender gap in sports. Increased investment in gender-equitable programmes, with targeted economic incentives for marginalised groups, along with improved mechanisms for reporting discrimination and harassment, are crucial.
Another important factor in improving the situation is having leaders with a clear vision of gender equality, which is critical to driving investment and improved sports policies related to gender equality objectives. This includes gender-equal representation in decision-making bodies within sport organisations. According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance, only three of the International Sports Federations have women chairs; and in the 206 national Olympic Committees, just over 26 per cent of their executive positions are held by women.
Moreover, educating people about what equal pay means is also important. For example, it is common belief that men are better at sports, and that a woman’s role in the family is to care for children and housework, rather than participate in sports. These stereotypes can discourage girls from engaging in physical activities, which is why promoting sports for all is vital.