International Olympic Committee : News

Eliminating and preventing violence against women and girls through sport

3/13/2013 1:16:00 PM

“Violence against women and girls is endemic to nearly all societies, and it takes many forms, both physical and psychological”, said DeFrantz. She added: “Violence is at the extreme end of a continuum that includes gender-based discrimination, taunts and sexual harassment. We cannot eradicate violence against women without eradicating the discriminatory attitudes that condone or even encourage it. Sport and its values are valuable tools to address and improve self-esteem, body control, leadership and assertiveness - all being elements which can contribute to tackle violence.”

Fighting sexual harassment and sexual abuse in sport

DeFrantz also explained that sport itself may be affected by violence against women and girls: “Unfortunately, the world of sport is not immune to the problem that we are here to address, or to the behaviours that lead to gender-based violence. The IOC has been at the forefront of efforts to eliminate sexual harassment and sexual abuse in sport. Its commitment to this issue is fully aligned with the IOC’s belief that the practice of sport is a human right that cannot be denied on the basis of gender, race or sexual orientation. The Olympic Charter declares that ‘every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination’.”

Learn more about the IOC’s initiatives in this field here www.olympic.org/sha and here http://sha.olympic.org.

No single solution

DeFrantz concluded: “Sport has an important role to play in preventing violence against women and girls. It is not the only answer. There is no single solution to the pervasive problem of gender-based violence. Eliminating and preventing violence against women and girls will require deploying all available assets, including sport. It will require more cooperation and partnerships among individuals and organisations with a commitment to this cause. It will require assistance from governments and educational institutions. While being mindful of the many challenges that women face to access sport and to eradicate gender-based violence in sport, the International Olympic Committee is committed to this effort and will continue to work within sport, and with partners outside sport, to promote the cause of gender equality and eliminate sexual harassment, abuse and violence. Together, we can make a difference and provide a brighter future for our daughters, granddaughters and generations to come.”

Read the full speech here.

IOC President honours HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of United Arab Emirates Nation

12/5/2012 1:31:00 PM

IOC President Dr Jacques Rogge said that the Trophy was awarded to Her Highness for outstanding merit in the development of sport, notably her dedication to the advancement of women in sport.

Her Highness serves as Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and has inspired the launch of an annual international award for female athletes in her name as part of a series of initiatives to promote and develop the cause of women in sport.

Women Shine on Olympic Day 2011

6/23/2011 6:00:00 PM

For the second consecutive year, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) hosted the Women and Sport Awards ceremony on the occasion of Olympic Day. One world trophy and five continental trophies were presented at the 2011 IOC Women and Sport Awards to remarkable individuals as well as one organisation, all of whom have made an outstanding effort to enhance the participation, development and involvement of women and young girls in the sporting arena.

The official ceremony was held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, in the presence of IOC President Jacques Rogge; Anita DeFrantz, IOC member and Chairperson of the IOC Women and Sport Commission; the members of the IOC Women and Sport Commission; IOC Executive Board members; and guests invited to take part in the Olympic Day festivities.

The 2011 Women and Sport Award trophies were presented as follows:

- IOC World Trophy: Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
- IOC Trophy for Africa: Nadouvi Lawson Body (Togo)
- IOC Trophy for the Americas: The Women and Sport Commission of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee
- IOC Trophy for Asia: Narin Hajtass (Jordan)
- IOC Trophy for Europe: Sema Kasapoglu (Turkey)
- IOC Trophy for Oceania: Daphne Pirie (Australia).

The winners of the 2011 Women and Sport Awards have been recognised for their roles in getting more women involved in sport as athletes, administrators, leaders and as members of the media. Click here to learn more about their profiles and achievements.

National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and Continental Associations were invited to submit candidatures, and the winners were selected of 46 candidatures by the IOC Women and Sport Commission.

President Rogge said: “The IOC Women and Sport Awards represent how far the Olympic Movement has come in the field of gender equality. The participation of women at the Games, for example, has almost doubled in the last 30 years from 23 per cent at the 1984 Los Angeles Games to nearly 43 per cent at the 2008 Beijing Games. We expect this positive trend to continue at London 2012.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Anita DeFrantz said: "Through various projects and programmes, the IOC invests in the empowerment of women off the playing field. We acknowledge that, by working together, women and men, people of different age groups and people from different countries, we can accomplish more, and more quickly, then working alone. We encourage everyone in the sports world and beyond to work as a team when it comes to gender equality.”

About Olympic Day

Olympic Day was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris. The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe, regardless of age, gender or athletic ability. Over the last 20 years, Olympic Day has been associated with Olympic Day Runs all over the world. From 45 participating National Olympic Committees in the first edition in 1987, the majority of the 205 NOCs are nowadays organising various activities on that occasion. What’s more, many of the participating NOCs are in Africa – proving the event’s worldwide appeal.

Over the past few years, Olympic Day has developed into much more than just a run or a sports event. Some countries have incorporated Olympic Day activities into the school curriculum. Others have added concerts and exhibitions to the sports activity. Athletes and Olympic champions are also active on Olympic Day to encourage people to take up sport, enjoy and excel. If you want to get active on Olympic Day, join us on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook and tell us what you do!

###

For further information on the 2011 Women and Sport Trophies and the activities of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, please contact the IOC Communications Department, Tel: +41 21 621 60 00, e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our website at www.olympic.org

Videos

YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos

For an extensive selection of photos of today’s event, please follow us on Flickr

Social media

For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Innsbruck 2012

1st edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games, Innsbruck, Austria,13 to 22 January 2012.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Warming up for the 2012 IOC World Conference on Women and Sport

3/8/2011 4:00:00 AM

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the theme of next year’s IOC World Conference on Women and Sport, which is “Together Stronger: The Future of Sport”. The event will take place from 16 to 18 February 2012 in Los Angeles, USA, and is being organised jointly by the IOC, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games.

Steady increase of women’s participation in the Olympic Games

There is no doubt that women’s participation is key for a healthy society in general, but also for the future of sport. The IOC has made women’s participation in sporting activities and administration one of its major concerns. The participation of women in the Games has increased from 23 per cent in 1984 Los Angeles to 43 per cent at the 2008 Beijing Games. At the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore last summer, 46 per cent of the athletes were girls. With the addition of women’s boxing to the Olympic programme, the 2012 Games in London will have women competing in every sport on the Olympic programme for the first time in history.

Call for more women in leadership positions

However, whilst the clear rise in women’s participation in Olympic events is an important success, additional efforts are needed to strengthen women’s representation in sports leadership positions. The IOC encourages more women to take up responsible positions in sports organisations and has different programmes in place to equip the candidates with the necessary skills and tools to fulfil their tasks. Customised seminars and training programmes help women move into sports administration and other leadership roles. Furthermore, the IOC offers financial support to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in the developing world for projects that promote equality on the field of play and in sports administration. The IOC’s World Conference on Women and Sport, which takes place every four years, is an important platform to assess the progress made and prioritise future action.

“Together Stronger: The Future of Sport”

The theme for the fifth Conference in Los Angeles stands for the positive evolution in the promotion of girls and women in sport, especially during the last two decades. The call that is linked to “Together Stronger: The Future of Sport” aims to streamline the discussions and efforts of all stakeholders involved to the next level, with women and men working together to remove some of the barriers to gender equality in sport that still exist. The theme also reflects the impact of the increasing cooperation across borders, but also across age groups, which leads to faster and sustainable successes.

The last Conference held in Jordan 2008 attracted more than 600 participants from 116 countries and concluded with a strong action plan, the success of which will also be assessed in Los Angeles.

Gender equality in and through sport discussed at UN meetings

6/29/2010 4:30:00 PM

The role of sport in promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through innovative partnerships was discussed today between senior representatives of the Olympic Movement, the United Nations, governments, the private sector, foundations, NGOs and academia in New York during a dedicated breakfast meeting. The event, which took place on the occasion of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Annual Ministerial Review, was co-hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Office for Partnerships in cooperation with the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace.

First UN-IOC breakfast meeting

The breakfast meeting was the first of its kind since the IOC was granted UN observer status last October – a decision that paid tribute to the IOC’s efforts to contribute to the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. By using sport as a tool, the IOC and its partners implement various activities across the globe in fields such as humanitarian assistance, peace-building, education, gender equality, sustainability and the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Sport as a driver for social change

“Sport helps empower girls and women because it changes attitudes. It helps women competitors realise their own potential and it helps others see them in a new light. When a woman athlete triumphs, she often becomes a role model for her family, her community or even her country,” said Anita De Frantz, IOC member and Chair of the IOC Women and Sport Commission during today’s meeting. She added: “Change in this area does not come easy. We need strong partnerships to ensure that more women and girls have access to physical activity worldwide. To make real progress, we need the cooperation of governments, educational institutions and the private sector.”

Together with Amir Dossal, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships, Anita De Frantz led today’s breakfast meeting in order to promote sport as a tool to advance gender equality, which is the third of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Dara Torres, a five-time Olympic swimmer from the US who won a total of 12 Olympic medals and is also a mother, model, TV personality and motivational speaker, joined in the breakfast meeting as a living example of an outstanding female athlete who inspires women and girls worldwide. She said: "The Olympic Games have been a part of my life since I was 14 years old. Now at 43 as a mom and recent competitor I realise more than ever how the opportunity for women in sport has become one of my most important missions."

Wilfried Lemke, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Sport for Development and Peace, said in his message: “Sport is a universal language and part of the culture of almost every nation. However, sport is often overlooked because not everywhere is it considered a suitable or desirable pursuit for women and girls, but rather a male domain. We have to address this challenge by being culturally sensitive while at the same time making clear that sport is a human right for everyone.” He added: “During this year’s ECOSOC High Level Meeting and other high level UN meetings, governments have the opportunity to stress the importance of gender equality in sport and through sport.”

About the ECOSOC Conference

The ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review is currently bringing together Heads of State and representatives from a large number of countries for a five-day conference at the UN Headquarters in New York. The purpose of the Review Conference is to assess progress made towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other goals on the UN agenda, while sharing new ideas and practices to best advance.

Anita De Frantz will have the opportunity to address the delegates on 2 July 2010.

IOC's 2008 Women and Sport Award: nominees wanted!

8/29/2007 12:00:00 AM

The race is open to National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and Continental Associations to nominate candidates for the IOC's 2008 Women and Sport Awards. Handed out on an annual basis, these awards recognise outstanding achievement and contributions made to develop, encourage and strengthen the participation of women and girls at all levels in the sports world.

Sports-minded women across the globe
Six trophies will be awarded - one each for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania as well as one at the world level. Recipients may be an individual, an institution or an organisation. Previous winners reflect all different age groups and backgrounds – be it political decision-makers, former Olympic champions or pioneers at grassroots level.

The 2006 World Trophy went to the world renowned tennis player Gabriela Sabatini in acknowledgement of her work to open up the tennis world for youngsters in her home-country of Argentina. And in 2007 it was the first female Prime Minister of Jamaica, Portia Simpson Miller, who received the World Trophy for her outstanding dedication to promoting women’s activities in Jamaican sport – both as athletes and as administrators.

Women and Sport goes to the Middle East
The awards ceremony will take place at the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport in March 2008 in Jordan. It is the first time that this conference will be held in the Middle East. HRH Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein, President of the Jordan National Olympic Committee, describes it as “a great opportunity to host the best and the brightest minds on promoting women and sport in Jordan and also to be able to learn from them and show them our [the Jordan] experience”.

Promotion of women in sport

Podcast with HRH Prince Faisal bin Al-Hussein :

Play - Subscribe in Itunes – Download

Women in Olympic Governance

3/8/2004 12:00:00 AM

IOC and Loughborough University Research Partnership

The IOC and the Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy at Loughborough University (UK) cooperated on a joint two-year research project aiming at evaluating the roles of women in Olympic governance. The IOC established targets in 1996, for National Olympic Committees and International Federations (IF), to have at least 10% of all offices in decision-making structures held by women by 31 December 2000, and at least 20% by 31 December 2005. The research results were issued in January 2004 and officially presented at the 3rd IOC World Conference on Women and Sport in March 2004.

Objectives
- the project evaluated the processes of recruitment of women to decision-making structures, their career paths into Olympic governance, their impact on the activities of the organizations themselves, and the nature of training and support required by both the women members and the sports organizations to ensure that the benefits of wider involvement in decision-making by women were realised.

Learn more on the promotion of women in sport

Institute of Sport and Leisure Policy - Loughborough University (UK)

Lindsey Vonn unveiled as first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games Ambassador

4/6/2011 5:30:00 PM

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is pleased to announce that American Alpine skier and Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn has agreed to take a leading role in mentoring athletes at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, by becoming the first ever Winter Youth Olympic Games Ambassador.

Vonn’s appointment follows the success of Summer Youth Olympic Games Ambassadors Usain Bolt, Yelena Isinbayeva and Michael Phelps, who supported last year’s inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.

Vonn will encourage young people around the globe to become more active in sport in her role as Ambassador for the Innsbruck Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from 13 to 22 January 2012. The 2010 Olympic downhill gold medallist will also look to connect with and support the young athletes competing in Innsbruck.

“I have been skiing since I was two years old,” the now 26-year-old Vonn said. “So I know the importance of strong role models. When I first met my hero, Picabo Street, it was a huge thrill and an unforgettable moment for me. She inspired me to become what I am today. If I can have even half that effect on some of the young athletes I come into contact with, it will be worth it. I’m really looking forward to it.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “It is a terrific thing to have such an iconic and successful winter athlete — not to mention a three-time Olympian — on board to mentor the athletes at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games and encourage kids around the world to take up sport. Lindsey is not only a great champion. She has a great personality, a warm heart and she knows what it means to give the best of yourself in whatever you do. She is sure to have a positive and lasting impact on the young people she interacts with.”

Innsbruck 2012 will attract over 1,000 top athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 from roughly 70 countries. The athletes will compete in the same seven sports on the programme for the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, but a number of the 63 events will feature for the first time at an Olympic event. They include: biathlon mixed relay, luge team relay, ski halfpipe, snowboard slopestyle, figure skating mixed team event, ice hockey skills challenge and women’s ski jumping.

In addition to mixed gender events, there will also be mixed National Olympic Committee competitions.

In addition to competing in their sports events, the athletes will participate in a Culture and Education Programme (CEP) featuring fun and engaging activities designed to provide guidance on a wide range of topics, including Olympic values, the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle, and the prevention of sports injuries, among others.

###

For more information, please contact the IOC Communications Department:
Tel: +41 21 621 6000 e-mail: pressoffice@olympic.org, or visit our web site at www.olympic.org/youtholympicgames

Videos
YouTube: www.youtube.com/iocmedia

Photos
For an extensive selection of photos available shortly after each event, please follow us on Flickr

To request archive photos and footage, please contact our Images team at: images@olympic.org

Social media
For up-to-the-minute information on the IOC and regular updates, please follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

III World conference on women and sport: recommendations

3/9/2004 12:00:00 AM

The Conference,

Recalling that the goal of Olympism is to place everywhere sport at the service of the harmonious development of human beings, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society,

Welcoming the commitment of the President of the International Olympic Committee, the Secretary General of the United Nations, and the President of the World Bank to promote women’s rights in all fields of human activities,

Taking into consideration the Resolution adopted by the II World Conference on Women and Sport in Paris, France, on 8 March 2000;

Taking also into consideration the research on Women Leadership and the Olympic Movement undertaken by Loughborough University for the International Olympic Committee;

Recognising the effort made by all entities and persons involved with the promotion of Women in Sport but aware of all the challenges which lay ahead to be taken up in order to attain the projected objectives;

Noting, however, with regret, the slow pace in implementing fully the action plan formulated by inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations and the lack of concrete, visible and tangible actions at the grass root level;

1. Reaffirms the targets established in 1996 for the International Olympic Committee, International Sports Federations and National Olympic Committees to have at least 20% women on their executive boards and legislative bodies by 2005 and consider the period beyond;

2. Urges the International Olympic Committee, International Sports Federations, the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), sports Confederations, National Olympic Committees and National Federations to correct the current gender imbalance and to ensure significant representation of women on all permanent commissions, working groups, and Organizing Committees of the Olympic Games (OCOGs), and also highlights the need for the five Continental Associations of NOCs to ensure the inclusion of women on the Executive Council of ANOC;

3. Calls upon all delegates to be voluntary advocates for the promotion, training and empowerment of women in and through sport at grass root level, clubs and in National Federations;

4. Urges the International Olympic Committee, and National Olympic Committees to advocate for the inclusion of physical and sport activities in educational institutions with government and international agencies in charge of education and sport;

5. Encourages the Olympic Movement and sport organisations to further the cooperation with the United Nations system, the World Bank, inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations to promote gender equality policies and programmes and support human and socio-economic development through sport;

6. Urges Olympic Solidarity Commission to review its policies and development programmes to ensure that funds provided are increased, and that a fair proportion is used for the support of women in and through sport;

7. Calls upon all athletes to serve as role models and mentors for young girls and women to develop their skills in sport and professional lives, and contribute to the promotion of diversity, peace and human understanding;

8. Requests that stakeholders and partners in the Olympic Movement be involved individually or collectively in preventive education campaigns against scourges such as HIV/AIDS, polio, and substance abuses which affect women and children;

9. Urges the sport communities to support and encourage sport activities for girls and women with disabilities;

10. Recommends that sport communities and media organisations work together to ensure a comprehensive and accurate portrayal of the image of women in sport, as well as including women in media training programmes;

11. Congratulates the International Olympic Committee and its Women and Sport Commission for organising this III World Conference on Women and Sport;

12. Expresses its sincere thanks to the Kingdom of Morocco and its National Olympic Committee for the excellent organisation of the Conference and traditional hospitality.

Learn more on Women and Sport

Olympic Review FOCUS: Women and Sport

Women on the starting blocks

3/4/2008 12:00:00 AM

8 March 2008 marks International Women's Day and the kick-off of the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport in Jordan. During the Opening Ceremony, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will reveal the winners of the 2008 IOC Women and Sport Award.

IOC's 2008 Women and Sport Award

IOC President Jacques Rogge will thus announce the six recipients, one for each continent and one at world level. Each of them has made outstanding achievements in encouraging, promoting and developing the participation of women and girls at all levels in the sporting world. The 2008 winners were selected by the IOC Women and Sport Commission, chaired by IOC member Anita DeFrantz, from 70 candidatures submitted by the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Olympic Sports Federations (IFs). The 2007 World Trophy went to the first female Jamaican Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller, acknowledging her outstanding dedication to promoting women’s activities in Jamaican sport – both as athletes and as administrators.

4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport

Under the motto “Sport as a vehicle for social change”, the participants of the conference will debate and determine, amongst other subjects, how female athletes can serve as role models for young girls, how more women might take part in coaching and officiating, how to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic through sport, and how culture determines women’s access to sport. Keynote speakers include former top athletes, representatives from governments, businesses, UN agencies, media and academics. The two-day conference is under the patronage of Their Majesties, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and jointly organised by the IOC and the NOC of Jordan.

Learn more at www.olympic.org/jordanconference