A key mission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to promote women in sport at all levels based on the principle of gender equality. This priority, anchored in the Olympic Charter, is at the heart of what the Olympic Movement is all about, because in sport, everyone is equal.
As the leader of the Olympic Movement, the IOC has an important responsibility to send the right signals and set an example to others in the sporting world and the rest of society when it comes to gender equality and advancing women. Our focus, therefore, is not only to promote gender equality on and off the field of play, but also to empower women and girls through sport.
This edition of Olympic Review has an in-depth focus on women in sport and it comes at an important juncture. At the recent Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018 we saw the first Olympic sport programme with complete gender equality, a 5050 balance with the same number of male and female athletes competing in the same number of sports and events. What is more, at the upcoming Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 we will have practically achieved gender balance, with the highest-ever expected representation of female athletes in Olympic history. Off the field of play, we have increased the number of women in 2018 across the 26 IOC Commissions to almost 43 per cent. That is an increase of 98 per cent since 2013. And as of January 2019, 33 per cent of IOC Members were women.
These examples illustrate the IOC’s commitment to the advancement of women and gender equality. They represent important milestones, but they are just steps on a longer journey. There is still much work to be done both on and off the field of play. We are aware that gender equality will not happen overnight, but that we need to continuously work towards it. We also know that we cannot make progress alone.
Fortunately, there are many people around the world who are committed to making a difference through sport. In the pages that follow, readers will get insights from some of these inspiring people who are using sport to bring about change, breaking down barriers not only on the field of play, but also in the workplace, in the home, in schools and in other aspects of society.
Advancing women in sport is therefore truly a team effort. We can only make progress together with others. By joining hands and working together, I am sure that sport can inspire the change and lead the way to gender equality and female empowerment.