A new international report into the representation of Women on international sports bodies reveals an average of only 14.9%, falling well short of targets that are continually set and continually not achieved.
The survey by Women on Boards covers 34 international sports federations including FIFA in soccer, the IRB in Rugby and the IAAF in athletics.
Seven of the 34 have no Women at all on their main boards. They are the International Rugby Board, the International Tennis Federation, the International Judo Association, the International Handball Association, the International Shooting Sport Association, the International Boxing Association and the Federation of International Cricketers Association.
FINA, the International body governing swimming and aquatic sport has one Women on a Governing Body of 35.
The UCI governing Cycling has one on a body of 19.
The International Golf Federation has one on a body of 11.
FIFA in soccer has two on a governing body of 28.
On National Olympic Committees, within an organisation that enshrines equality as a guiding principle, the report gathered data back from 128 of the world’s 204 Olympic nations. The average level of Female representation was 16.5%.
Ireland
So where does Ireland sit in this exposure of inequality at the top level of sport?
As part of our campaign for parity of esteem, Sport for Business requested data from sports governing bodies here about their own levels of female representation on governing bodies.
We received replies from 11 National Governing Bodies, the results of which were encouraging.
Swim Ireland, Athletics Ireland, Basketball Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, Special Olympics Ireland, Rowing Ireland, the Irish Sailing Association, Vision Sport Ireland, Cycling Ireland, the Irish Olympic Handball Association and the Irish Ladies Golf Union stepped forward.
In nine cases the representation of Women on their main leadership group was at or above 30%. In two it was below that but they did come forward with the answer.
The survey was voluntary and the assumption must be that those who did not submit answers would be at the lower end of the scale for representation. We would be willing and eager to run the same survey as part of a compliance programme from the Irish Sports Council so that we can set a benchmark and begin to change the game where discrimination, whether institutional or inadvertent, still remains.
Some Positives
There are positives to be drawn. Direct comparisons using research from the Women on Boards material and our own research reveals that within certain categories of Olympic and Paralympic committees and funding bodies, Ireland performs very well.
That suggests we can play a leadership role on a European or global level if we so choose, and that we can do so from a position of strength.
Percentage of female board members on the funding bodies for sport
- Australia – Australian Sports Commission – 45.5%
- Ireland – Irish Sports Council – 44.4%
- England – Sport England – 36.4%
- Wales Sport Wales – 33.3%
- Scotland – Sport Scotland – 25%
- Northern Ireland – Sport NI – 10%
Percentage of female board members on National Olympic Committees
- Oceania National Olympic Committee Average – 33%
- Ireland NOC – 23%
- Africa NOC Average – 21%
- Americas NOC Average – 20%
- Europe NOC Average – 17%
- Asia NOC Average – 15%
Equality Matters
Sport is a metaphor for the way we live as a society. There is no greater single endeavour that gives us a sense of identity. It is critical that it should be seen as a place where equality matters and that parity of esteem is the reality rather than an aspiration.
Ireland should not stand back and wait for the world to catch up. We should be out leading. Tomorrow we will look at three key areas where we can do so.
