The Rio Olympics underscores one of the fundamental contradictions in women’s sports today. On the plus side, the performances of elite female athletes are commanding respect and headlines worldwide, and the number of women who watch and consume sports of all kinds continues to grow. At the same time, the inclusion of women in the halls of power of influential sports organizations remains a frustrating and slow-moving work in progress.
According to a recent study conducted by Richard Lapchick, Ph.D., a prominent expert on diversity and social justice issues within the sports industry, women are significantly underrepresented in the leadership ranks of major global sports bodies, most notably international sports federations (or IFs).