Women, Sport and Governance

Brighton and Helsinki Declaration principles

• Principle 1: Equity and Equality in Society and Sport
• Principle 2: Facilities
• Principle 6: Leadership in Sport
• Principle 8: Sport Information and Research
• Principle 9: Resources
• Principle 10: Domestic and International Cooperation

Target audiences

Sport governance, policy development, advocacy and gender equality initiatives, practitioners in sport management and administration, policy-makers at governmental and organisational levels, sport governance bodies such as national and international federations, advocates and activists working for gender equality in sport, media professionals, companies involved in sports sponsorship and those interested in promoting diversity and inclusion in sport will also find this toolkit particularly relevant.

Background

The sports content of the publication addresses the broader issue of gender inequality and the under-representation of women in the practice of sports, including in the context of corporate activities, and in sports governance bodies. It discusses the challenges women face in participating in leadership of sports federations, the media - both as journalists and in terms of coverage. Based on the evaluation of a nation wide questionnaire, corporate initiatives in sport and their impact on women is analysed. Observations are also made on the interlinkages between corruption, gender discrimination in sport and better governance in sports.

Based on the analyses, the publications provides key recommendations to improve:

1. CONSTRAINT i.e. regulate, constrain, control and sanction as well as introducing equality principles such as gender sensitive budgets and subsidies;
2. TRAINING AND AWARENESS-RAISING
3. SURVEYING, EVALUATING AND CAPITALIZING

The publication focuses primarily on France, in the context of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Paris. The issues are also examined through the lens of the gender equality provisions of the global and regional regulatory instruments such as those developed by the United Nations, the Council of Europe or the different bodies of the European Union. The publication highlights national and international statistics and challenges, underlining the need for global action to address these issues.

This publication is set against the backdrop of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, which are the first parity Olympic Games in history. Despite this important milestone, challenges persist with regard to the representation and visibility of women in sport and sports governance. The document recognizes that while progress has been made, significant gender disparities persist in leadership positions within sports federations, in media coverage, in corporate sports initiatives and in the prevalence of corruption, which disproportionately affects women in the world of sport.

The white paper is the result of the efforts of the 2GAP collective, which draws on its extensive network of 80 women's professional networks, to address these challenges in a comprehensive way. Recognizing the need to build on the momentum of the Parity Olympics and bring about lasting change, the publication serves as a tool to assess the current state of gender equality in sport governance and make concrete recommendations for improvement. It aims to highlight the under-representation of women in decision-making roles, the gender gap in media coverage of female athletes, and the impact of corruption in perpetuating inequalities in sport. By providing an overview of the issues involved, the white paper aims to inform and empower those involved in sport.

Summary of white paper content

Objectives:

• Evaluate the status of gender equality in sports governance post-2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, focusing on the representation of women in leadership positions.

• Examine disparities in media coverage of female athletes and the impact of corruption on gender inequality in sports.

• Develop actionable recommendations to promote gender equality and empower women in sports governance and participation.

Key Outcomes:

• Identification of significant underrepresentation of women in sports governance roles, both nationally and internationally, highlighting low percentages of female presidents and board members in sports federations.

• Analysis of media coverage disparities, indicating a lack of representation of female athletes in television broadcasts and journalism.

• Exploration of gender-based corruption in sports, with a focus on its impact on perpetuating inequalities and discrimination against women in sports.

Headline Insights:

• Despite the historic gender-parity Olympics in 2024, women remain significantly underrepresented in sports governance roles, indicating a persistent gender gap.

• Media coverage of female athletes continues to be disproportionately low, reflecting broader societal biases and contributing to the lack of visibility and recognition for women in sports.

• Gender-based corruption poses a significant threat to gender equality in sports, highlighting the need for robust measures to combat corruption and promote transparency and accountability in sports governance.

View and download the 2GAP Women, Sport and Governance white paper