November 2010 Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities A Women’s Sports Foundation Research Report Authorship and Acknowledgments This report was authored by Maureen M. Smith, Ph.D., California State University, Sacramento; and Alison M. Wrynn, Ph.D., California State University, Long Beach. The report was reviewed by Donna A. Lopiano, Ph.D., President, Sports Management Resources; Don Sabo, Ph.D., Professor of Health Policy, D’Youville College; Marjorie A. Snyder, Ph.D., Research Director, Women’s Sports Foundation; Linda Mastandrea, Paralympic medalist and member of the IPC Legal and Ethics Committee; Terri Lakowski, Director, Lakowski Consulting, LLC; Ellen B. Carlton, Ph.D., Sonoma State University; Kerrie Kauer, Ph.D., California State University, Long Beach; Matthew Llewellyn, California State University, Fullerton; Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D., Tucker Center for Girls, University of Minnesota; Jennifer Piatt, Ph.D., Indiana University; and Wayne Wilson. The policy recommendations included in this report were written by Terri Lakowski and reviewed by Eli A. Wolff, Brown University; Linda Mastandrea; Donna A. Lopiano, Ph.D.; and Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Senior Director of Advocacy, Women’s Sports Foundation. All data that was obtained from the Internet was accurate as of May 2010. Every attempt was made to obtain the most accurate and up-to-date data for this report. Special thanks to Deana Monahan for her editorial and graphic design expertise. Published November 2010, by the Women’s Sports Foundation® Eisenhower Park, 1899 Hempstead Turnpike, Suite 400 East Meadow, NY 11554 [email protected] www.WomensSportsFoundation.org © 2010, Women’s Sports Foundation, All Rights Reserved This report may be downloaded from www.WomensSportsFoundation. org. This report may be reproduced and distributed only in its entirety. Any material taken from this report and published or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, must be properly attributed to Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games: An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities, published by the Women’s Sports Foundation Preferred citation: Smith, M. and Wrynn, A. (2010). Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games: An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities. East Meadow, NY: Women’s Sports Foundation. November 2010 Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities Executive Summary 2 International 3 United States 3 Major Findings 4 Major International Findings 4 Major United States Findings 5 Introduction 6 Historical Background of Women’s Participation in the Olympic Winter Games 6 Olympic and Paralympic Events that Included No Women in 2010: Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined and Sledge Hockey 6 International Findings 9 Comparison of Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Male and Female Sports and Medal Events 9 Comparison of 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Female and Male Athlete Participation 14 Women in International Sport Governance Structure Leadership Positions 21 United States Findings 25 United States Olympic Committee and U.S. National Sport Governing Body Obligations 25 Comparison of 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Female and Male Participation 29 The 2002, 2006 and 2010 Paralympic Winter Games U.S. Participation 32 Women in United States Sport Governance Structure Leadership Positions 35 Media Coverage of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games 37 U.S. Print and TV Coverage of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games 37 Conclusions 42 Policy Recommendations 43 International Olympic and Paralympic Committees 43 United States Olympic and Paralympic Committees 44 References 45 Executive Summary Through the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur The International Olympic Committee (IOC) maintains Sports Act (1978) the United States Olympic that the growth of women’s participation in the Committee (USOC) is prohibited from discriminating Olympic Movement is one of its major goals. Indeed, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, disability the stated goal is: “The IOC encourages and supports or national origin with regard to participation and the promotion of women in sport at all levels and in all leadership opportunities and is mandated to work to structures, with a view to implementing the principle expand opportunities for women, women and men of of equality of men and women.” Rule 2, paragraph 7, color, and women and men with disabilities. The good Olympic Charter in force from July 7, 2007. news is that female athletes accounted for 43.5% of American athletes at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games The IOC has, over the past decade, made noteworthy in Vancouver, slightly more than the 42.6% American attempts to support the inclusion of greater numbers female participation rate at the 2006 Games. Women, of women in the international sporting scene. At the however, are underrepresented in leadership positions first Olympic Winter Games held in 1924, 11 women on the U.S. national sport governing bodies (NGB) (4.3% of the participants) competed in individual and for winter sports; currently only one of the eight has mixed pair figure skating. Since this time, the number a female president, there are no female executive of female winter Olympians and women’s events has directors of these NGBs, and 23 of the 98 individuals gradually increased. By 1960, 21.7% of the Winter on councils or the boards of directors of the NGBs are Games athletes were female. Yet, it took another 34 women (23.5%). years until women accounted for more than 30% of the athletes (30.1% in 1994). At the most recent The USOC exceeds the IOC recommended 20% Olympic Winter Games hosted in Vancouver in 2010, threshold; four out of the 10 members of the USOC 1,043 female athletes, the highest number in Winter Board of Directors are female (40%). There are 16 Games history, accounted for 40.4% of the athletes. additional individuals listed on the USOC website Female Paralympians have not fared nearly as well as as “Key Executives.” This list includes CEO Scott their Olympic counterparts, representing only 24.1% of Blackmun and a number of other “Chiefs.” Of these the 2010 Paralympic participants. individuals, five are female (31.2%). This number also exceeds the 20% threshold set by the IOC. The IOC created a Women and Sport Commission and held its 4th IOC World Conference on Women The opportunity to be an Olympian or Paralympian and Sport in 2008. However, the IOC rhetoric has only brings with it numerous rewards. It gives the athlete gained minimal response from the National Olympic the chance to secure prize money and lucrative Committees, the International Federations and the endorsement deals. More importantly, perhaps, is International Paralympic Committee (IPC)—most of the fact that it gives unprecedented visibility to which still struggle to meet the IOC’s request that outstanding, elite female athletes. The millions of women be represented at a minimal 20% standard in young girls and women who watch the Winter Games leadership positions. With so few women serving in every four years see stellar role models who inspire leadership positions and lack of commitment among sports participation. There are also abundant returns the male-dominated leadership, there has been that come to women who serve in a leadership little progress on supporting women as athletes and capacity in sport. And, although these women work leaders, from the grassroots, developmental levels behind the scenes, they are an integral part of the all the way to the upper echelons of competitive team, actively advocating for women as athletes. Thus Olympic and Paralympic sport. this report will examine the recent past and current 2 A Women’s Sports Foundation Research Report status of women in the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games as athletic participants and the place of women in the International and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport hierarchy. This report analyzes the representation and participation of women in international and U.S. Olympic organizations. In addition it examines the types and extent of opportunities that are provided for women in administrative and leadership roles within these structures and the chances women have to compete in the Games themselves. This report also assesses the extent to which the IOC, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and USOC are fulfilling their stated missions with respect to fairness and gender equity and whether or not legal statutes are being upheld. This report includes an analysis of: International • Participation rates of female and male athletes at the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games with a focus on the 2010 Games. • The types and extent of women’s opportunities for leadership roles in the organizational structures of the International Olympic Committee, National Olympic Committees, the International Paralympic Committee and International Sports Federations. United States • Participation rates of female and male athletes in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. • The types and extent of women’s opportunities for leadership roles in the organizational structures of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. National Sport Governing Bodies for winter sports. Women in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games: An Analysis of Participation, Leadership and Media Opportunities 3 Major Findings Major International Findings • 2010 Olympic Winter Games: There were 1,043 women (40.4%) and 1,536 men (59.6%) in 2010, compared with 1,006 women (38.2%) and 1,627 men (61.8%) in 2006, and 886 women (36.9%) and 1,513 men (63.1%) in 2002. • 2010 Olympic Winter Games: Of 82 total countries, 19 delegations did not send any female athletes, and two delegations did not send any male participants in 2010. In 2006, 80 nations competed, with 20 delegations sending no female athletes and four delegations sending no male participants.