Manama, Bahrain, October 30, 2022: The President of the International Olympic Committee, Dr. Thomas Bach, lauded the Olympic Council of Asia for leading by example in a strong push to advance gender equality in Asia.
In a five-minute video message at the opening ceremony of the two-day OCA Gender Equity Seminar in the Bahrain capital of Manama on Sunday, October 30, IOC chief Bach praised the Olympic Council of Asia for “your commitment to advance gender equality throughout Asia.”
Addressing delegates from 42 Asian National Olympic Committees gathered at The Art Hotel and Resort in Manama, Bach praised the OCA Gender Equity Committee and its Chair, Sheikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al-Khalifa, for implementing the right strategies and policies to drive change in the world’s most populous continent.
“As sports organisations, we have an important responsibility to lead by example. With this seminar, OCA is doing exactly that – leading by example and sending a strong message of your commitment to advance gender equality in Asia,” Bach said.
“Gender equality does not just magically happen. To make progress we need a targeted strategy, liberal policies and institutional commitment. This is why I’m pleased to see how OCA through its Gender Equity Committee is already implementing the right strategies and policies.
“With your many initiatives, you are demonstrating the importance of grass root strategies to drive change throughout Asia from the ground up. Your seminar is a great opportunity to build on this momentum.
This is why I would like to congratulate all of you, and in particular Committee Chair Sheikha Hayat Al-Khalifa, who is also a member of the IOC Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion Commission,” Bach noted.
The IOC chief began his address by stating the world’s Olympic community shared one mission which was to make the world a better place through sport with one of the priorities being promoting women in, and through, sport.
“This priority anchored in the Olympic Charter is at the heart of what the Olympic Games is all about, because in sport everyone is equal.”
Bach pointed to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as an example of the gender gap closing on the field.
“At these Games we made history. With 48 per cent women participating we achieved the highest ever representation of female athletes at the Olympics. For Paris 2024, we are going for full gender parity with the same number of male and female athletes competing in the same number of events.”
Bach said huge strides had been made off the field of play too, noting that for the first time in IOC history, the same number of women and men sat in the various IOC Commissions, and adding that currently 40 per cent of IOC Members were women.
In closing, Bach said: “You can always count on the full support of the IOC as a partner by your side because it is only by joining hands that we can live our new Olympic motto: ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger, Together’. And in this Olympic spirit, I wish you fruitful discussions and a very successful seminar. All the best.”
