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‘Push for change needed to achieve gender equity, good governance in sport’

The low number of women in decision-making positions in international sports federations does not reflect the ideals of these organisations that champion women leadership and gender equity.

In the words of Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) global chief operations officer Katie Simmonds: “To move the needle, achieve gender equity, and really have good governance in sport, we need to push for change”.

Simmonds, who is also SIGA Women Programme managing director, said the Geneva-based global sport integrity organisation continues to champion the cause by delivering mentorship programmes to aspiring female leaders, holding sports organisations accountable to diversity and inclusion as enshrined in the SIGA Universal Standards on Good Governance in Sport, and providing a platform for women leaders and their male advocates to amplify their real-life stories to inspire and set in motion a systemic cultural change.

She said this as SIGA announced its SIGA Summit On Female Leadership in Sport, which will be held on March 6, at 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York.

Hosted by SIGA founding member MasterCard at the Technology Hub for the third consecutive year, the summit is set to gather representatives from all areas of the global sports industry.

Designed to unlock the power of networking, this one-day, high-level initiative is focused on learning, connecting, and mobilising the sports community to commit to gender equity, on and off the field.

Gender equity is a foundational pillar of SIGA’s reform agenda, as it is a key component of good governance in sport. SIGA is committed to helping close the gender gap in sports leadership positions by providing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities to create greater pathways for female leaders across the industry.

The Summit on Female Leadership in Sport is part of the SIGA Women Programme, which includes the Global Mentorship Programme and the Women on Wednesdays show.

As in previous editions, the Summit on Female Leadership in Sport 2024 will embrace a hybrid format, adding a digital live-streaming option for those who cannot secure one of the exclusive, in-person passes.

Registration is now open for all participants, and early bird rates are available for those who book before Dec 15.

Twentytwo13 is SIGA’s media partner.