Dear the IWG community,
I was delighted to be asked to provide a monthly update for the network. The trouble was knowing where to start, there is plenty happening so here’s a few highlights and a brief look forward – you can read my full update on the IWG website.
In April I represented IWG at the Olympic Council of Asia’s (OCA) Gender Equity Seminar in Brunei, a tiny nation with a big, welcoming heart.
Centred around the theme of ‘Watch Her Shine’, the seminar brought together 95 participants from 43 National Olympic Committees to outline the key priorities of: maintaining gender equity efforts, providing more support for NOCs, creating leadership training for women, and integrating initiatives into the Asian Games. Hearing directly from those working in a wide range of sports across a continent as vast and diverse as Asia was a privilege. Their experiences are unique, but the issues are broad and global and helping find ways to address the barriers and initiate system change is much easier with a strong community to support and share challenges.
May opened with the excellent Sport Resolution Conference, one of my favourite sports law events of the year. It hosts a stimulating Women in Sports Law breakfast each year, supporting anyone working in sports law to meet and network
whilst updating on current issues; on this occasion looking ahead to Milan Cortina Winter Games and how recent legal precedents might impact the IOC’s rule 40. In closing, Amina Graham pulled together an excellent overview of the law and application of the Gender Recognition Act [2004] in sport, following the Supreme Court’s Ruling on female only categories and single sex spaces and the practical implications for governing bodies.
On the same day the ICC and ECB pulled off an engaging and ground-breaking launch for the Women’s T20 World Cup to be hosted in England and Wales 2026, ahead of the IWG Summit. With Malala Yousafzai and Vanessa Williams on the podium alongside rugby’s Ellie Kildunne, the audience was invited to help shape the tournament’s engagement strategy, recognising the immense moment in time the global event will give the ECB to transform cricket for future generations.
This month, I’m on my way to Lausanne, Switzerland via the UNESCO-FTT Conference in Paris, which will present the Fit for Life Global Alliance and partnership with Federation Francaise de Tennis, promoting inclusion and accessibility. At Olympism365 I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Prof Elizabeth Pike from the University of Hertfordshire – and IWG’s Research Lead – collect her ‘IOC GEDI Champions Award’
I’ll also be tuning into the first episode of IWG’s ‘Shift\Sessions’, which takes place on 18 June at 1pm BST. If you haven’t already done so, you can register here.
Wishing you a brilliant June, and I look forward to providing my next update to you.
Annamarie
Annamarie Phelps CBE OLY, Chair of IWG.
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